The True Singer
by LGilbert1982
Summary: After Edward leaves Bella in NM, the Cullen family falls apart. After Carlisle and Esme divorce, Carlisle decides to come back to Forks to see how Bella is coping. Will either of them find love again? How will Edward react? AU/CPOV
1. Chapter 1: Watching Over Her

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Chapter 1: Watching Over Her**

For the third night in a row I sat under the tree cover outside of Bella's bedroom window, watching as she prepared herself for bed. It took every bit of restraint I had not to go to her and comfort her. Even though she was not crying at the moment, her pain was etched into her features as she slowly made her way across the room.

Just like every other night, I would sit here in the shadows until she fell asleep and then make my way into the tree just outside her window to watch her fitful dreaming. Every night it was the same thing. She would toss and turn, mumbling in her sleep, before finally waking up screaming _his_ name. Edward might be my son for all intents and purposes, but it was increasingly difficult to think of him without being overcome with anger. How he could cause this sweet innocent girl so much pain and feel no remorse about it is beyond me. Of course, when he left Bella, he did not just hurt her, he hurt the entire family. Leaving her ripped our family apart.

At first part of me wanted to blame her. Our life was seemingly fine until she came into our world. Most humans shy away from us, sensing what we really are, but not Bella. She was different than all other humans. She actually fell in love with Edward. At first we all thought that he loved her too. That is why we so willingly opened our arms to her, allowing her into our lives, and into our hearts. We felt that she made our family complete. That was until we discovered Edward's true feelings on the matter.

We had all believed that Edward's overprotective manner around Bella was just because she was a fragile human and he did not want her to get hurt. He refused to turn her though, claiming the excuse of not wanting to take her soul. Most of the family accepted this excuse, but not I. Only I know Edward really believes, as I do, that even as vampires we still retain our souls. Otherwise, we would not have a conscience. How else could we decide to deny our natural instincts and not take the lives of humans, only to live off of the blood of animals instead? Only creatures with a soul have a conscience. He may have fooled Bella and the other members of my family, but not me. So when he made this excuse, I knew something was wrong. I shrugged it off at first though, trying to trust my son, and let myself believe that he would decide to change her in time.

Over time everyone, except Bella, began to debate Edward's reasoning though. Bella fought him constantly about being changed into a vampire, because she wanted nothing more than to be with him forever and to officially become part of the Cullen family. The more adamant she became about it though, the more controlling he became in other areas. He never let her out of his sight, except for when he was forced to hunt. Even then he made sure Alice or Esme was with her. She did not seem to notice because she loved spending time with our family, but I could tell he was slowly breaking her ties with anyone outside of our family. At first I figured this was to help protect her for when she was changed, that way she would only grieve over Charlie and Renee, but now I know better.

Only I seemed to notice, but Edward's frustration began to show through more and more each time he had to save her. We tried to convince him to change her so that she would no longer need protecting, but he was so against the idea that he even sucked the venom from her arm the night that James attacked her so she would not change. At first Edward liked playing the hero, but soon he became annoyed with that role. He was not only constantly catching her because she was clumsy, but he was frequently saving her from life-threatening circumstances too. First there was the incident with Tyler's van, then the four rapists in Port Angeles, then the hunter James, and then finally her 18th birthday party. That was the last straw for him.

I still have a sneaking feeling that Jasper was trying to protect Bella from Edward that night and had no intention of attacking her. Bella _is_ Edward's singer after all. Of course, Edward would have attacked any of us who tried to take his prey away, so that made it look like Jasper was the weak one trying to get to Bella. I think Jasper could feel Edward was about to attack and tried to step in. There was no way to prove it though. Edward would never admit it, and he forced Jasper and Alice to leave that night, so there was no way I could ask them. Hopefully, one of them will contact me one day, I really do miss them.

Of course, after that incident, Edward decided that he had enough. He convinced the rest of us that we should leave "for her safety" and that a "clean break" was better. I had my doubts about this at the time, but he said he would leave without us if we did not go. I knew this would hurt Esme if she were to lose yet another "child," so we all packed up to head to Denali. It broke my heart to not be able to say goodbye to Bella, but I did as my son asked, despite the feeling that he was not really doing this for her safety.

It did not take long to confirm my suspicions that Edward's motivations for leaving were less than noble. He did not seem to be that upset at being separated from his "mate." Yes, he seemed a little sad and bored the first few days, but the moment Tanya came back from her hunting trip, he seemed to forget Bella completely. It was not even a week before he and Tanya became inseparable and his chaste ways completely disappeared. We knew then that Bella was just a pet to Edward. He was only interested in her because he could not read her mind and her blood sang to him. That is why he never changed Bella. He was only interested in her as a human. Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, and I tried to hide our disgust and resentment towards Edward for using Bella and then pulling her away from us only to shack up with this succubus. We still loved Edward of course, he is family, but we were extremely angry with his actions. Of course, being the mind reader that he was, he could not take the harsh thoughts anymore and he and Tanya ran off together.

After this, the loss of Edward, Jasper, Alice, and Bella really took a toll on the rest of us, especially Esme. These were her children, and without them, she lost all interest in everything around her, including me. I tried to stand by her, but the pain I felt at the loss of my family weighed heavily on me as well, and I found myself either at the hospital or locked in my study all the time. It wasn't long before Rosalie and Emmett decided that they wanted to travel together to try to escape some of the pain they were feeling themselves. At this, Esme just totally broke down. She knew then that she and I were never true soul mates. The only thing that had held us together was our children. With all of them gone, we were just roommates, so she asked for a divorce. I knew I should have been devastated at the news, but I could feel she was right and the only thing that hit me was the loneliness. The realization that I was back where I started almost a hundred years ago before I first changed Edward, alone, was almost enough to crush me.

The only thing that kept me going at that point was the question that if leaving Bella had caused this much devastation to us, with our vampire ability to handle a larger range of emotions, what had this done to her? She is only human after all. That was when I knew that I had to go back to check on her. I would watch her from the shadows and see how she was coping. If she showed signs of healing and moving on, then I would leave and attempt to find Jasper and Alice. On the other hand, if she was as broken as we were, then I would find the right time to reveal myself and help her cope. I would not leave her feeling like none of us loved her. She would know she is not alone. That is why, just two months after we left, I sat in the shadows outside her bedroom, watching her finally settle into a not so peaceful sleep.

Now that Bella had finally fallen asleep, I quickly dashed to my perch on the tree outside her window. Even two months after our departure, she still kept the window open, hoping that Edward would return to her one night. It broke my heart the she was holding on to a hope that would never be fulfilled. This thought caused my anger to flare again, but the sudden shifting of Bella's covers caused her scent to fill my senses and I was immediately calmed, _weird._

My eyes fell on Bella as she rolled over, now facing the window. Her breathing was still shallow and even, but tears began streaming down her face. Suddenly, her heart rate picked up and her breathing was coming in gasps. "No…Edward…please….don't leave…I…I need you." She was mumbling in her sleep again. Pain ripped through my chest as she cried in her sleep and I knew I would not be able to keep away from her much longer. I could not just watch from the shadows while she hurt so much. I _had_ to comfort her somehow.

The question was how? I was afraid that if she sees me that it will just make it worse. I would be an obvious reminder of Edward and it seemed that any reminder of him almost broke her down. Would it be different because I was like a father to her? Would it help knowing that at least one of us cared about her? Would she even be able to forgive me for leaving her alone like that without even saying goodbye? Why should she? I had the power to get the family to stay, if not Edward, but I let myself lose sight of the feelings of an important member of our family, just because Edward asked me too. I do not deserve her forgiveness.

Of course, being the selfless, kind hearted creature that she is, Bella would be the person to do just that, forgive us all, including Edward. She is so kind, so gentle, so selfless, and so beautiful, that she deserved nothing but happiness. Instead, she is suffering a pain that would no doubt bring Jasper to his knees. It is a good thing he is not here right now. Bella would just feel worse for bringing that pain upon him. If Edward wasn't my son, I'd rip him apart myself for all the pain he has caused this magnificent creature.

As Bella's whimpers crossed my ears and her scent filled my senses, I knew without a doubt I would do what ever I could to ease her pain. She needed to heal, to get over Edward, but that would take time. She needs someone to be there for her that understands the whole picture. She can not talk to her human friends or even a counselor because it would expose the vampire world. So she has not had a real chance to heal. She would not be able to tell them why she felt she was never good enough for him, so they would not have the chance to convince her otherwise. This is something that I _can_ do though. If she will let me, I will show her exactly what a magnificent woman she is. I will show her that she does not need Edward to be happy, that she _is_ good enough to be loved and that there are family members out there that do love her, fully and unconditionally.

With renewed determination, I decided that had to reveal myself to her. I wanted more than anything to go to her tonight and comfort her, but that would probably just scare her. So I decided the best thing for me to do would be to go hunt and then just knock on the front door after she wakes up in the morning. Being a Saturday, she would not have school and Charlie would be going fishing, so it would be a perfect time for her to get past the initial shock of seeing me. Hopefully it would not be too bad. It would destroy me if I brought her anymore pain. It will not be easy, there will be a lot of tears, but once the initial shock wears off maybe she can finally begin the healing process, with me right there holding her hand. I can not let her turn me into a crutch, she has to be able to live when I can not be there for her anymore, but I will help her as much as I possibly can. How can I not?

So with these thoughts of hope and one last look at the fitfully sleeping Bella, I left my perch in the tree and headed out into the forest to hunt. My restraint may be the best of all my family members, but since I would be in such close proximity to the deliciously scented Bella, I did not want to take any chances. It was no telling when I would be able to hunt again, especially since I planned on spending most of the weekend with Bella. It is a good thing I decided to hold off on returning to the hospital for a while.


	2. Chapter 2: Carlisle Cullen

At the moment I will be updating this story every weekend. If my muse improves, updates may become more frequent in the future.

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

**Chapter ****2: Carlisle Cullen**

After I had my fill and had buried my kills, I made my way back to Bella's house. I knew Charlie would be leaving soon and wanted to be there before he left in case Bella decided to leave the house today. I wanted as much time with her as possible this weekend so maybe she would be feeling a little better for school on Monday.

Like usual, Charlie sat at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the morning paper. I could tell his mind was not really on it though. Worry was etched deep into his face and he kept glancing towards the stairs. I knew how much he worried about Bella, and I am sure he was debating the idea of leaving her alone to go fishing. Of course, he knew as well as I did that Bella would just feel worse if she believed that he was sacrificing his favorite past time because of her. So with one last sigh, and a final sip from his coffee cup, he gathered his gear and left for the day.

Bella remained curled up in a ball on her bed for a few more minutes, her arms clutched around her torso as if she were trying to hold herself together, with tears streaming down her face. It was like this every morning. She would wake screaming and then cry like this until she was sure Charlie had left. She tried her hardest to hide the majority of her pain from Charlie, but her zombie like state did not put him at ease to well either.

After a few moments, Bella rose from the bed, clutching her pillow to her chest, and shakily made her way downstairs. I wanted to give her a little time to adjust to the morning before revealing myself, but I was also very curious as to why she was bringing her pillow downstairs this time. She did not normally do that.

I adjusted myself to watch her as she made her way into the kitchen. The anger and pain that hit me when I saw her shove her pillow into the freezer almost brought me to my knees. She was trying to imitate the temperature and texture of a vampire. No wonder she did not sleep well at night. I am sure she got so used to sleeping in Edward's arms every night that she could not get a good night's rest now if she wanted to.

I would make sure she got the rest she needed, even if I had to hold her myself. In her state of depression, medication would not help. It would likely just make her more apathetic, or even suicidal. So I would do what I could to comfort her in any way possible, and hope that would be enough to turn this around.

After she had shoved her pillow into the freezer, she had moved to the table, slumping down into the chair. Once again her arms were wrapped around her torso and she was sobbing uncontrollably. It was now or never. Maybe I could help her get a few hours of rest at least. So I made my way to the front door and knocked, waiting patiently for Bella to slowly rise from the table and make her way to answer.

When Bella opened the door, I wanted nothing more than to run to her and scoop her up into my arms. I was not sure if she would accept my return though, so I would leave the greeting up to her. I waited patiently as her sad expression changed to one of shock. Her eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped, she just stared at me for a moment, before her emotions caught up with her brain and tears began to stream down her face once again.

"Carlisle?" she squeaked. It was difficult for her to believe I was actually there.

"Yes sweetie. It's me. I'm here now." I spoke gently, trying to reassure her. I took one step forward and opened my arms to her, practically begging her to hug me.

At this, she completely broke down. She ran into my arms, sobbing into my chest. I wrapped my arms around her frail form and pulled her to me as tight as I dared. "Shh, Bella, it's okay. I'm here. I'm here." I spoke softly, stroking her hair and back, trying to comfort her the only way I could. After a few minutes, her knees gave out on her and I lifted her into my arms.

"Let me get you up to your room, you need to rest. I'll get your pillow from the freezer on the way up." I said chuckling lightly.

Bella blushed when she realized I knew about her pillow, but the moment she thought about going to sleep she began to panic. "No! Carlisle, I don't want to go to sleep." Her tears started full force again.

"Bella, you need to. I know you haven't been sleeping well," I coaxed gently.

"No, Carlisle! I can't! I don't want to lose time with you. I can't wake up to find you gone. I can't take that again!" She was close to hysterics now.

The pain, anger, and guilt hit me full force again at those words. What did we _do_ to her? I continued to try to comfort her as I moved into the kitchen to get her pillow. "Bella, listen," I sat her on the counter next to the fridge and puller her to my chest, "I am not going anywhere. I came back to help you. I will be here as long as you need me, even if that is forever!" I placed a gentle kiss on her hair and pulled back to look in her eyes. The expression on her face was one of shock, fear, confusion, but mainly disbelief. "I mean it Bella!"

Bella looked into my eyes, searching for any sign that I was lying to her. Finding only concern and sincerity, she relaxed just a little and nodded. I smiled at her and kissed her forehead. She attempted to smile in return, but only managed to twitch the sides of her mouth up a little, before it faltered and was gone again.

"Let me get you some water." I pulled away to get the glass from the cabinet, and I did not have to be an empath to feel her pain build again the moment my arms left her. Her heart rate accelerated and her breathing hitched. I quickly filled the glass and raced back to her before she was able to start crying again. I handed her the glass and took her other hand in mine to maintain the contact she so desperately needed right now.

After taking a few swallows, Bella visibly relaxed, and I could see the curiosity begin to burn behind her eyes. I waited patiently for her to compose herself before she began to ask the questions I dreaded answering. She took a few deep breathes and then opened her mouth to begin, only to close it again. I gently squeezed her hand, encouraging her to begin when she was ready.

Bella looked into my eyes and gave me a small smile. I smiled at her and kissed the back of her hand. Her heart rate picked up at this and I smiled even harder. She blushed and looked down again. She had such a beautiful blush.

She took another sip from her water and began her questions, "So, you moved back?"

"Yes, Bella, I have. I haven't started back at the hospital yet because I plan to spend as much time as possible with you at first, but I'll probably go back to work too in a few weeks or so," I replied.

"You don't have to take off work for me. I know you enjoy working at the hospital and what about money? You shouldn't put yourself out for me," she protested.

"Bella, your well being is more important to me than working at the hospital, and you know I don't need the money. Besides, I have missed you," I assured her.

She nodded and looked at her hands with a blush. She still could not believe someone would care about her so much, but she needed me to much right now to argue. "I've missed you too," she whispered. She looked me in the eye again, "Is it just you or…" she trailed off, but I knew what she was trying to ask. She wanted to know if the others came with me.

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and looked to our entwined fingers with a sigh. This was going to be harder than I thought. "Yes, Bella, it is just me. Can we go upstairs before I explain everything? I think it would be easier if we were both more comfortable." I looked into her eyes and could see the worry building in them. "It is okay Bella, nothing too bad. It is just difficult to talk about."

"Okay," she replied before wrapping her arms around my neck so I could carry her to her room. It surprised me how good it felt to have her in my arms like this. It was like I was home. Well, she was all the family I had left by my side, so that is only natural, right? I just hoped being in my arms comforted her as much as holding her did me.

I grabbed her pillow from the freezer and carefully lifted her to carry her upstairs. As soon as she was settled against me, she took a deep breath inhaling my scent, and snuggled into my chest with a sigh. I could not help but smile that she did indeed feel comforted being in my arms. It was like, just for a moment, Edward no longer mattered. All her pain seemed to melt into the background. I squeezed her to me as tightly as I dared and kissed her forehead as I ascended the stairs.


	3. Chapter 3: Catching Up

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Chapter 3: Catching Up**

Once I reached her room, I laid her pillow on the bed and then laid her down. I was around to the other side before she could blink and I stretched out next to her, pulling her to me with her head resting against my chest and my arm wrapped around her shoulder. At first she tensed, her heart rate beating rapidly, and I was afraid that I had crossed a line, but before I could say anything she sighed and relaxed into my chest.

"Bella, is this okay? If you are uncomfortable…" I still wanted to be sure she was not uncomfortable with our close position.

She did not let me finish though, "No! Carlisle, it's okay. It's…nice," she replied with a contented sigh and a blush. I could not help but smile at that and kissed her head gently, inhaling her scent deeply, letting it infuse my senses with calm and warmth.

Her breathing hitched and her heart rate accelerated. Afraid that I had frightened her, I began to apologize, but she began before I could speak. "Carlisle, is it difficult for you to be this close to me? Doesn't it burn?" I chuckled lightly at this. She was always thinking of everyone but herself.

"Silly Bella more worried about the pain your scent might cause me than about your own safety being this close to a potentially thirsty vampire." I replied with a chuckle. "No, Bella, it does not burn. I have had many centuries to conquer my thirst and human blood no longer effects me. In fact, yours is the first in over a century that had any effect on me at all, and even then, after being around you for a while, it no longer effects me. Now your scent is more relaxing than anything else. The only time your blood causes me any discomfort is when it is spilled, and even then it is manageable. You mean more to me than your blood, so I am effectively able to ignore its call to me, even when it is freely flowing."

"Why do you think my blood affects you when you have mastered all others?" she asked tentatively.

"I'm not sure," I replied, "I have had theories, but nothing concrete. At first I thought it was because you smell better than most humans, but I've come across those before that smelled better to the others and their blood did not affect me, so I do not think that is the case. The only thing I can imagine is that maybe you are my singer as well, but I've never heard of someone's blood singing to more than one vampire. I just do not know Bella."

Bella could not hold back the tears at this statement. Obviously the conversation's indirect turn toward memories of Edward brought back her loss. I pulled her tighter against me, "I'm sorry, Bella. I should not have talked about that yet. I did not want to hurt you." My voice was panged with concern as I consoled her.

Bella sniffled once more before her sobbing slowly subsided. "It's okay," she cracked. "It's just…I was thinking…that maybe…" She paused, unsure if her voice was going to hold out. "Maybe I was never really his singer. You said yourself that I smelled better than most humans. He was weak and frustrated that he could not read my mind. I think everyone assumed I was his singer because it was hard for him to resist me and he played it up like he does everything else. Then when he resisted, I became an ob…obsession to him, a p…p…pet!" she was crying again, her voice dripping with more anger than sadness. "If a vampire who resists his singer is supposed to fall in love with her, then there is no way I could be his singer. He ne…never l…l…loved m…me."

"Car…Carlisle, you love me more than he ever did, even if it is just in a fatherly way, so there is no way I could have truly been his singer. He was just weak, like he always was," Bella grew quiet, just sobbing into my chest and gripping my shirt as tightly as she could.

I held her to me closely as I absorbed what she had said. She was entirely right. Edward always was weak, and he always played things up to be worse on him than they really were. He wanted everyone to feel sorry for him and take pity on him when he decided the rules were too much to handle. I also knew him well enough to know that if her blood had really called to him like it did for me when I first met her, he would not have been able to resist. I was barely able to and I was much better at resisting the thirst than he is.

She was also right about me loving her more than he ever did. I had loved her the moment I first laid eyes on her that day Edward saved her from Tyler's van. I shook it off as fatherly love because I believed her to be Edward's mate, but I had always known Edward was not good enough for her, and it pained me to see them together.

That is when it hit me like a ton of bricks. I am in love with Isabella Swan. I had been from the moment I first saw her. I tried to deny it all those months for Esme's sake, but now that I think about it more, that was about the time Esme and I started drifting apart. I could remember how my world would light up when Bella came to visit, and how angry Edward's possessiveness made me. I am surprised that he never caught it from my thoughts. I guess it was just because I did not know it myself at the time, so there was nothing to suspect.

The realization that I love Bella caused my heart to swell inside my chest. It felt as if my dead heart was trying to beat again. Even as this joy tried to over take me, one statement she had made hit me like a brick wall, "even if it is just in a fatherly way." I was her ex-boyfriend's "father," there was no way she could ever look at me as a mate. I would always be a father to her. I sighed in frustration at this thought.

I had been completely lost in my thoughts until I felt Bella try to pull away. She had continued sobbing silently throughout my mental musings and must have thought my frustrated sigh was because she was still crying and my shirt was completely drenched now. When I did not immediately let her pull away she said, "I'm sorry Carlisle. I'm ruining your shirt. I shouldn't be like this. I know it must be frustrating."

As much as it pained me, I let her sit up when she tried to pull away again, but I took her hand in mine and gave it a squeeze. "No, Bella, there is nothing to be sorry about. First of all, it is _just_ a shirt. Secondly, you have every right to be like this, he hurt you. We _all_ hurt you when we left. And finally, I am not frustrated with you. I only sighed because I was thinking about what you said. I think you are right. I am frustrated with _him_ Bella, not you. I can not understand how my _son_," I venomously spat the word like it was vile tasting on my tongue, "could do what he did. You are a wonderful, kind, selfless, beautiful girl, and you deserve every bit of happiness this world has to offer. How he could do something like that to you is beyond me."

I looked down at our intertwined hands in shame with my next words, "Of course, we let him convince us to leave you too. No matter how much we love you and did not want to leave you, we put his wishes above yours and look what it did to you, to all of us. I don't deserve your forgiveness Bella. I know I will never forgive myself," if I could have been crying I think I would have. The pain I have caused her by not denying Edward could never be taken back, and I deserved no less than her hatred.

Bella caressed my chin, urging me to look at her. When I did, her eyes had softened and she was smiling softly at me. "Carlisle," she sighed, "There was never anything to forgive. You did what you thought was best for your family at the time. Ed…Edward is your son, he's been with you for a good part of a hundred years, his happiness was your first priority, and rightly so. You could not have known what leaving would do to me. You are right, your family leaving hurt badly, and not getting to say goodbye hurt worse, but you are here now, and that is all that matters. You are my friend, and I love you. I can not have you beating yourself up over a decision that you really had no choice over. What is done is done, and can not be taken back, let us just try to heal and move forward," the sincerity shining in her eyes brought a smile to my lips.

Even knowing how forgiving that Bella always is, I was still surprised at how her forgiveness affected me. Her lecture was extremely heartfelt and it showed exactly how much my family and I meant to her. I would do everything in my power to do as she asked and try to heal and move forward.

We sat there staring into each others eyes for a moment, her hand still on my chin, and just reveled in the comfort that came from being so close. It felt like I could see her soul as I stared deep in her eyes. It was absolutely beautiful. I wanted nothing more than to kiss her right now. My dead heart leapt for joy when it appeared as if she felt the same way.

Her eyes softened and she began to lean in slightly. I slowly began to do the same, trying to encourage her, but then her eyes shadowed over again and a look of guilt and grief crossing her face. She leaned back again, her hand quickly leaving my face, and she averted her eyes to the bed with a blush. Pain and rejection filled my chest, but I pushed it back, trying not to let it show on my face. I leaned back against the headboard once more and gently squeezed Bella's hand, silently letting her know that it was okay.

She looked up at me with a pained smile, "Carlisle, why did you come back for me? What about Esme and the others? I know you must miss them. I am not worth that grief." Was that why she felt guilty, she did not want to betray Esme? I can only hope.

I reached up with my thumbs and wiped away the tears that had silently run down her cheeks. I sighed and reached up to pull her to my chest once again, "Come here, Bella." I knew she would probably break down when I explained all of this to her, and honestly, I did not think I could handle telling it without her in my arms either. "Bella, I…I am no longer with Esme."

"What?" she gasped. "But…but…I…I thought you two were soul mates."

"I know, we thought so too, but we had been drifting apart for months. With everything that happened after we left you, we finally realized that we never truly were soul mates. Our marriage was a marriage of convenience mostly. Yes, we loved each other for a long time, but it was never destined to last forever. We are still friends, but we have not acted as husband and wife for quite a few months now. We finally made it official a few weeks ago.

"You see, Bella, when you came into our lives, we felt like our family was finally complete. We all loved you. When a vampire changes it is forever, Bella, and you changed us all for the better. When the situation with Jasper happened on your birthday…"

She interrupted me venomously, "That was _not_ Jasper's fault!"

I was shocked at her display to say the least, "What do you mean Bella?"

"Jasper never intended to attack me," she said angrily. "I could see the signs in Edward. He was losing control. I felt the wave of calm that Jasper sent towards Edward and me, but it did not work. Edward was too far gone. Jasper knew it too, that is why he tried to step in. Of course, Edward then tried to attack him. Once it was all over, Edward tried to shove the blame off on Jasper, but I knew better. I just could not believe that no one else realized it. I think that was why Jasper and Alice left that night. Edward tried to make me believe it was because he was guilty. I was afraid to argue with him about it, so I did not say anything. I just wish Alice and Jasper would come back so I could thank him for trying to save me," she was no longer angry. She was grieving for the loss of her best friends.

I was surprised she had been able to notice this. Everything happened so fast that even with vampire sight, it was hard to catch. I guess it was just because she knew Edward so well. "Bella, I too suspected that was the case, knowing you saw it too now confirms my suspicions. I could never prove it before since it was Edward's word against Jasper's and I have not seen Jasper or Alice since that day. I think Edward forced them to leave, but I cannot be certain."

"That sounds about right, the _jerk_!" she was obviously very angry with Edward.

"Like I said, I cannot be certain. Maybe Alice will see that I have come back and will make an effort to contact us soon. We can only hope. I know they must miss us as much as we miss them." I reassured her.

"I hope so," she sighed.

"Anyway, as I was saying," I began. "After Alice and Jasper left the night of your birthday, Edward convinced us that we all needed to leave. We did not want to leave you, but he used your safety as an excuse and threatened to leave without us. I could not hurt Esme more by separating her from yet another of her children, so I made the mistake of doing as he asked. Not long after we moved to Denali, Edward…uh…he…uh…" I was not sure if I should tell her about Tanya, but I also thought she deserved to know. She pulled me tighter against her, reassuring me to continue.

"Well, he…he got involved with Tanya. It infuriated and disgusted the rest of us, so it was not long before he could not handle the negative thoughts anymore and they ran off together." I paused for a moment to see how she handled the news, but her face just hardened and she grunted and nodded for me to continue. "Well, needless to say, after losing four children – you, Alice, Jasper, and Edward – Esme grew even more distant. We hardly even spoke anymore.

"I was not coping with the loss of my loved ones very well either. I spend most of my time at the hospital or locked in my study. Not long after Edward left, Rosalie and Emmett decided that the best way they could deal with their loss was to travel on their own. At this, Esme completely broke down. We both realized at this point that the only thing that held our marriage together was our children. When we lost them, we were no more than friends, so she asked for a divorce. We finalized it last week, and that was when I decided that I had to come back to help you. I knew that if leaving you had devastated _us_ so much, with us being vampires, then you must be hurting even more. I could not let you go on hurting alone. I could not let you go on believing that none of us loved you. I care too much about you to stay away if it hurts you." I kissed the top of her head to prove my point, and waited patiently for a response.

Bella absorbed this for a moment, before tears started streaming down her face, "All of it is my fault. If I had stayed away from the vampire world, like any normal human, then your family would still be together and happy. I tore your family apart." She was completely in hysterics now.

I sat up, pulling her completely in my lap and began rocking her gently in an attempt to calm her down, "Bella, please, it is _not_ your fault. Edward was the one who made the decision to leave you. It was him who decided to strip you away from us too. You are not to blame for this, Bella. You are as much a victim in this as my family is. You made our lives better Bella, and it _will_ be okay again. I just know it. We will heal, and I am sure the family will be together again too. It will not be exactly like before, too much has changed, but it will be better and stronger when it finally does happen. We all just have to heal first, Bella. Please, do not try to take the blame for this one. It is far from being your fault."

Bella's tears had finally subsided and she looked up at me with a sad smile on her face. "Okay. You are right, it is _his_ fault. Let him have Tanya, I will not cry another tear over him. The tears for my lost family are far from over, but you are here now, and I can only hope that we will see them again soon too."

I smiled, and brushed the hair away from her face. "I'm sure we will sweetheart. I'm sure we will. Now, you need to get some rest. You are completely exhausted. Do you want me to hold you while you sleep, or would you rather me sit in the rocking chair?"

She blushed and tried to hide her face in my neck. My skin tingled at the contact of her heated cheeks pressing against it. It felt amazing. "Would it bother you to hold me while I slept? I got so used to it with Edward that I think it would be easier for me to sleep if you did, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"It's no trouble Bella, anything to help you get some rest. Besides, I could use some comfort right now too. Your scent and warmth is very comforting, so holding you while you sleep with help both of us," I reassured her with a smile.

A genuine smile flashed across her face and she settled down into the bed next to me. I stretched out once again and pulled her to me with a sigh. She settled in with her own contented sigh and it was not long before she drifted into a peaceful sleep.


	4. Chapter 4: Revelations

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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Chapter 4: ****Revelations**

For the last four hours I have been lying next to Bella, her head resting on my chest while she slept. I could now understand exactly why Edward had been so fascinated by watching her sleep. It is mesmerizing.

At first her sleep was the calmest I had seen it since my return, probably due to my presence. Only Bella would actually be comforted in the arms of a vampire. After a few hours though, her sleep faded into the normal fitful dreams. Only this time her speech was much clearer and she showed a lot more confidence in her words. Hopefully this was a good sign that my presence was allowing her to start healing.

Bella tossed and struggled in my arms a little before she began speaking. "Edward?" A scowl crossed her face. "You're leaving? How could you? You promised me you would never leave. You said you loved me. I guess that was all a lie too huh?" she spat angrily. She was quiet for a moment, likely waiting for Edward's reply. "Ha! As if, do you honestly think I'm stupid? I know you never loved me. I was just a toy to you, a pet. Well, you know what? You can have your distractions. It is not about you anymore. I thought it was at one time, but I have since realized that it has never been about you. It is not you that I will cry over when you leave, it is my family. Without them, I am lost, but you…you I can live without.

"I will never forgive you for stripping my family away from me, for stripping away my destiny. I was born to be a vampire and you know it. That is the real reason you are leaving, you can't stand the idea of me no longer being human. I hate you!" She was shaking with rage as she finished her statement, but slowly calmed as she slipped into another dream.

"Carlisle?" she whispered. "Is that really you, Carlisle?" She snuggled deeper into my chest, attempting to pull me closer.

"Carlisle," she began again. "I missed you. Thank you for caring enough to come back. Thank you for….saving me. Please…stay with me…forever. Don't ever leave me again," she was sobbing gently now.

I pulled her closer to me and gently kissed the top of her head, "I promise, Bella, I will never leave you. I will stay with you forever if that is what you want." I whispered gently in her ear. She smiled and sighed lightly against my chest.

"Forever?" she asked after a second. "Does that mean you will change me?" she sounded hopeful.

"Yes, Bella, if that is what you really want. I will change you when you are ready." I whispered in reply. She smiled again.

She was silent for a few moments before she began again. "Carlisle, I…I love you," she whispered so low I almost missed it. Whoa! She actually loves me. If felt like my heart grew ten sizes.

Bella squeezed me as tight as she could, "It has always been about you Carlisle. I did not always realize it, but I know now. It's been about you since the first day I saw you. I love you so much." She paused for a moment and sighed.

"I am sorry, Carlisle. I am not ready at the moment. I do love you, but I have to heal first. I am still broken and my heart is not ready to trust yet that you will not leave. I do not want to hurt you Carlisle, but I am not ready yet. I am sure that I will be someday soon. Promise that you will wait for me Carlisle?" she sounded pleading.

It hurt that I would not be able to share my love with her right away, but the knowledge that she did love me gave me hope. She actually wanted me to wait. She may have only said all of this in her dreams, but I knew she meant every word of it. I would just have to prove to her that I would always be there. I would wait for her. Oh yes, I would wait.

"Carlisle?" she questioned a little more anxiously. She was obviously waiting for an answer in her dream. Well, I would give her one.

"Yes Bella," I whispered in her ear. "I will wait for you. I will wait for you forever if that is what it takes. I love you so much. You are my life. I will forever be by your side in whatever way you need at the time, whether it is as a father, friend, or a mate. I will always love you." I placed a gentle kiss on her cheek to prove my point.

She took a deep ragged breath and smiled with a blush. "I love you too, Carlisle Cullen." I think my heart would have beat out of my chest if it could beat at that moment. With these words, she drifted back into a peaceful sleep. With a huge grin on my face, I held her closely while she finally slept dreamlessly.

It was about eleven in the morning when Bella finally opened her eyes. She stretched and with a gasp shot her eyes up to mine. Realization hit her face and she smiled with a blush.

"Good morning once again, beautiful," I said with a smile and a chuckle as I kissed her forehead. If she could have blushed any harder, she would have.

She gave me a shy smile and whispered, "Good morning." I could not help but to chuckle again at her shyness. She was just too cute.

"So, did you sleep well? Have any good dreams?" I was hoping I could get some kind of indication that her revelation was actually based on truth.

She blushed again and looked down. Yes, she remembered. "Yes, I did sleep well," she replied, "better than I have in months actually. Thank you." She paused for a moment, chewing her bottom lip. She was likely debated how to answer about the dreams. "I did have a good dream. For the first time I was actually able to tell Edward off for what he did," she finally replied with a smirk.

I laughed, "Yes, I know. You were quite vocal about it. He deserved every word of it, believe me."

She was quite for a second before she started stammering, "Did I…uh…did I say anything else?" she definitely remembered the dream about me.

I smoothed my hand across her hair and gave her a gentle smile. I wanted to reassure her, as well as let her know I felt the same way. "Bella, I promise I will never leave you as long as you want me to be by your side. If you want it to be as a vampire, I will not hesitate to turn you when you are ready. If you want to remain human, then I will enjoy as many of your human experiences with you as you will allow me to. You have much healing to do, Bella, and I will help you with that the best I can before you make your decision. I would not want you to carry this pain over into your next life if that is what you ultimately choose.

"Bella, you are my singer. We share a bond that is unbreakable. I will be by your side for as long as you exist in what ever form you need me to be. In the past I was your father, and now I am your friend. Only our fates know what our bond will ultimately be in the future, but I promise you Bella I will wait until you are healed enough for us to determine our true path together, even if I have to wait until the world passes from the universe."

She was staring at me in awe by the end of my speech. She had no doubt now that I had heard the entire dream, so I just had to ask if she truly felt that way. "Bella, did you mean everything you said?" She blinked a few times and blushed. She started to open her mouth, but in the end only managed to nod.

A huge grin spread across my face, and when she noticed, she smiled in return. "I love you too Bella, I have from the first moment I saw you. I also did not always realize it, but I know now. I will wait for you Bella, as long as your heart needs." Bella still had the smile on her face, but now she had tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Thank you, Carlisle," she whispered.

I brushed the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs and pressed my lips against her forehead. Her heart rate increased and she drew a slow staggered breath. I smiled at the reaction she had to my touch and she blushed.

"So, what do you want to do today? I was hoping to take you to Seattle for the day, but it is sunny so it will have to wait. Do you have any ideas? What time is Charlie supposed to be home tonight?" I hated the idea of her not being in my arms, but we could not just sit in bed all day. Besides, she needed to eat.

Bella cuddled up against my chest again with a contented sigh. "Charlie is going to be away until Sunday night actually." She answered. "Can't we just lay here all day?" she asked with a chuckle. She is just too cute.

I laughed too, "As good as that sounds Bella, I do not think that is possible. You have to eat sometime." As if to prove a point her stomach rumbled loudly.

Bella groaned and sat up, "Stupid traitorous stomach." I could not help but to laugh at this.

"Come on let us get you some lunch." I coaxed crossing over to the door.

"Carlisle," Bella hesitated.

"Yes sweetie?" I encouraged.

She blushed and looked at her hands twisting nervously in her lap, "You said it was sunny today. Could we possibly have a picnic somewhere? I would…uh…I have never actually seen you in the sun." I do not think I have ever seen her face so red before.

"That sounds like a great idea. I know of the perfect place. We will have to run there though. Is that okay with you?" I did not want her to be scared or uncomfortable.

"That is fine with me. I have actually missed it." She smiled softly. Of course, Edward must have carried her running several times.

"Okay then, you dress and I will put together some sandwiches and things for you." I kissed her cheek and made my way downstairs. I really did know the perfect place and was really excited to share it with her.

At vampire speed, I packed several sandwiches and bottles of water, some chips, an apple, a first aid kit, and a few blankets. I did not know for sure how long we would be out there, so I wanted to be prepared. By the time I was finished, Bella was coming down the stairs. Even in her old blue jeans, faded blue t-shirt, and old tennis shoes, Bella looked beautiful. I could not take my eyes off her. She blushed and looked at the floor. "Are you ready to go?" I asked her. She just nodded, her eyes still glued to her shoes.

"Alright then, climb up on my back and we will go. If you need me to slow down or stop, just let me know, okay?" When Bella nodded her confirmation, I kneeled down and lifted her onto my back in one fluid motion. I grabbed the pack I had prepared for our picnic and, at vampire speed, was out of the house and in the woods headed towards our destination.


	5. Chapter 5: Sparkling Desire

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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Chapter 5: ****Sparkling Desire**

When we arrived at my private area, I made sure that Bella kept her eyes closed so I could surprise her. I set up the picnic area at vampire speed and then stood in the shade of a tree before instructing Bella to open her eyes.

A large grin spread across my face as Bella gasped in awe at the beauty of the place. It was a large open area in the middle of the forest, covered with flowers and clover. There was a large rock in the center that was great for lounging, and a bubbling brook trickled through the area and into the trees. It was a very peaceful setting. It was a spot that I had not even shared with Esme, but I was sharing it with Bella now.

Bella slowly spun in a circle taking in the sight before her. When her eyes once again landed on me under the tree, she motioned for me to step into the sunlight. With a smile, I unbuttoned my shirt at human speed and hung it on a low branch. I could hear her breathing slow and her heart quicken as I unfastened each button. Slowly I stepped into the sunlight and walked towards her. She gasped once again when the sun hit my skin sending a rainbow of colors reflecting on the grass and trees around me. I chuckled when I realized she had to remind herself to breathe.

As I stepped in front of her, Bella slowly raised a hand to graze across my chest. The warmth was absolutely amazing. She spoke softly, almost seemingly to herself, "So beautiful."

My breath caught when Bella lowered her hand to graze across my stomach, the feelings the simple touch invoked almost undid me. I watched her face as she slowly traced down my stomach. As her hand dipped below my belly button, she paused, though her eyes continued downward. When her gaze reached her destination she blushed and closed her eyes before quickly bringing her hand up to my shoulder. When her eyes opened again and her gaze met mine, her eyes were so filled with lust that I was certain they had actually darkened a few shades.

At that moment I could understand Edward's desire to understand what Bella was thinking. I could not help but to ask, "What is going through that pretty little head of yours?" I smirked as she blushed yet again and averted her eyes.

Bella cleared her throat nervously, "Well, I – I was wondering…" she trailed off.

"Yes?" I encouraged.

Bella swallowed thickly, "what the rest of you looks like in the sun," she mumbled so quietly and quickly that if I had not been a vampire I would not have heard.

It was my turn to swallow thickly now. I could feel my cock twitch with anticipation and knew my eyes must be black with lust. I wanted nothing more than to answer her question by bearing all to see. While I knew that with my practiced control I could make love to her if I was careful, it was a little early for that. We were not even in a real relationship yet. Could I give her what she wanted without crossing that line?

When she looked up at me after the pause with lust filled curiosity and hopeful anticipation, I felt my resolve crumble. Even if I would not make love to her yet, I wanted to give her everything she asked for, even this simple desire to see me naked in the sunlight. I smirked seductively at her and she blushed, "I thought you were not ready for more yet? Is this just pure curiosity or is your heart moving on faster than you expected?"

Bella looked away for a moment, inwardly questioning herself, "I honestly think my heart has always belonged to you in one way or another, so I was ready for you long before you came back. The only reason for my heart's hesitation is the fear that you will leave again. Deep inside I know you won't, but there is a part of me that still fears that. I honestly do not want to wait any longer, Carlisle. I have been waiting too long already. I would rather you prove to this timid heart of mine that this is forever while we are together instead of us hesitating to show our feelings until after I no longer fear that possibility."

When she looked back to me I could see the love and lust shining in her eyes. It took every bit of strength I had not to claim her lips right then. "Bella, I _will_ prove to you that I will never leave. If it is the last thing I ever do, you will certainly understand how much I love you." With this I gently pressed my lips against hers.

When the kiss started to become heated I slowly pulled away. I could not help but chuckle at the resulting pout and huff that declared Bella's frustration. At her glare I smiled, "Did you not have a wish that I have yet to fulfill?"

Bella's brow furrowed in confusion but when realization dawned, her jaw dropped. "You mean…? You are going to show me?" she exclaimed in question.

"Bella," I sighed, "you will never be denied anything that is within my power to give you. This request is an easy one to fill. That is, if you still wish it?"

Bella blushed and the lust once again sparked in her eyes. She opened her mouth to reply, but then just blushed deeper and settled for a nod. I could not help but chuckle at her shy innocence.

I slowly stepped a few feet away from her and undid my pants at human speed. I could not help but to feel extremely nervous and self-conscience, but I wanted to grant her this simple request. I watched her face closely as I slowly removed my remaining clothes and kicked them aside.

At first her nervousness matched my own and all she could do was blush deeply and glance back and forth between my face, my body, and the ground, but once I was completely disrobed, Bella could not take her eyes off me. She raked her slightly wide eyes slowly across my body hungrily with her breath coming in slow gasps across her slightly parted lips. As her eyes lingered on my now fully erect member glistening in the sun, her tongue darted out moistening her lips and she swallowed thickly.

This slight act was enough to make me wonder what those lips would feel like around my cock and it twitched with anticipation. Bella's sharp intake of breathe and the scent of her arousal filling the air almost sent me over the edge. Before Bella could blink, I was fully clothed again and standing in front of her. She jumped in surprise and I placed my hands on her shoulders before she could stumble backwards.

"Sorry, Bella," I took a ragged breath, trying to steady myself. "I did not mean to startle you. It's just we are not ready for that step yet, and I was not going to be able to resist much longer if I remained in that state." I pulled her in my arms, intentionally pressing my aching erection against her overheated core.

I would not take her when I could not be certain yet that I was anything more than a rebound for her, but I had to have her touching me. I ached for her so badly. Bella trembled against me and took a ragged breath of her own before reaching up and catching my lips with hers and pressing her body against mine as hard as she could.

Our lips moved hungrily together in synchronization, almost desperately. The warmth of her soft lips seared against my cold ones bringing a life to me that I could not remember having in all of my three hundred and sixty plus years. We clung to each other as if we would lose ourselves if we let go. It was exhilarating and frightening all at the same time. I never wanted it to end.

Bella gasped when I slid from her lips to her jaw line so she could breathe. I lifted her up, not moving my lips from her skin, so I could sit on the rock in the clearing with her in my lap. She wrapped her legs tightly around my waist and clung desperately to my hair as if she thought I would pull away at any moment.

As I sat down on the rock with Bella straddled across me, her hot center pressed against my erection, I slid my tongue over her collar bone causing her to moan quietly and grind herself into me.

That simple movement nearly broke all of my resolve. I moaned deeply, a growl rumbling in my chest, and thrust up against her at the same time that I captured her lips with mine greedily. I may refuse to make love to her so soon, but I was too far gone to stop the pleasure that was being ignited just from the friction Bella was creating against my clothed cock.

Keeping my left hand fisted in Bella's hair, I brought my right hand up and gripped her hip gently, guiding her as she continued to move against me. Her hands clawed against my back and her lips moved hungrily against mine as her pace quickened. I threw my head back and we both groaned as I began to thrust up against her in rhythm to her movements.

"Oh, Carlisle, I…am gonna…cum," Bella moaned breathlessly.

"Oh God, Bella, me too," I breathed, "Cum with me, Bella."

After a few more shuttering thrusts, we cried out each other's names in an explosion of pleasure. I continued to guide Bella against me slowly as we came down from our orgasms and then fell back against the rock, Bella collapsing across my chest.

As our breathing slowed to normal, I felt Bella smile against my chest, "That was…amazing, Carlisle," she whispered.

I smiled lightly and pressed my lips into her hair, "Yes, Bella, it certainly was."

We continued to recline on the rock for a few more minutes, just soaking up the sun and enjoying the feeling of each other's arms. That is until Bella's stomach growled in protest. I chuckled as Bella blushed profusely, "I guess we need to start that picnic, don't we?"

Bella laughed and shakily lifted herself from my body in order to sit cross legged on the picnic blanket. I sat behind her with my legs on either side of her so she could lean back across my chest as she ate. I leaned back slightly on my arms, my face tilted into the sun and my eyes closed, and sighed in real contentment for the first time in many years.

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**A/N: I hope this was not too much too soon. I just really did not really want to wait to put them together. I figured Carlisle would have been much to conflicted and gentlemanly to have sex with her his first day back, but having so much unrequited passion between them, it would have been difficult to resist not doing _something_. I hope you all enjoyed it. Charlie shows up in the next chapter and the story then takes a direction that even I did not even expect. I can not wait to share it with you all.**

*****It is likely I will not be able to update again until May 10th. My husband and I have to go out of state for business. I plan to take a notepad with me, so if I get time I will continue writing, but will not be able to post until I get back. If it looks like I might be able to carry my laptop, then I might get lucky enough to post sooner, but there is no guarantee I will have time to write. Thank you for your patience. I am sorry to keep you all waiting.**


	6. Chapter 6: Charlie

**A/N: Surprise!!!! We got back sooner than planned from our business trip, so I am posting a new chapter! I hope you all enjoy it!! **

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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Chapter 6: ****Charlie**

After returning to Bella's house that night, I once again held her while she slept. Her sleep was a lot more restful than the previous nights I had observed. She spoke a few times, but it was mostly gibberish. It was wonderful to just hold her while she slept. To just watch her slow breathing and to try to make out the words that crossed her lips as she dreamed.

I spent most of Sunday just watching her clean the house. She had neglected it in her zombie state and seemed appalled with herself for letting it get out of hand. I had offered to help her, but she refused as she felt it was her job and did not want to burden me. Despite my protests that it was no problem, she was adamant about doing it herself.

So most of the time I just stood in the doorway of each room as she cleaned, talking casually about my work in Denali and her life since we left. I was saddened by how little she interacted with any one during our absence, but knew that was partly Edward's fault for separating her from her human friends while he was here.

As it came closer to time for Charlie to return home, I assisted her in the kitchen while she prepared lasagna for their dinner. It was my intention to stay and explain to Charlie that I was back and that I would be around a lot to help Bella heal. We had decided to not mention our romantic intentions until Charlie became more comfortable with my presence, but eventually I would do this the right way and ask for his permission to court his daughter.

After the lasagna was in the oven, Bella and I sat cuddled on the sofa talking casually as we waited for Charlie to come home. The moment I heard his car pull onto the street, I pulled away from Bella and we patiently waited for him to enter the house. We certainly did not want to appear too affectionate in front of Charlie. He would likely try to shoot me.

As Charlie stepped through the door, he paused as his eyes fell on me. His expression was first one of shock, but then it turned hard. I stood to greet him, but before I could speak Bella bounced up to him, "Dad, look who's here," she exclaimed excitedly, a huge grin gracing her face. I think she was purposely laying it on thick so he would understand just how much having me here made her happy.

For a moment I thought Charlie was going to faint straight away. The look of surprise that spread across his face as he took in his daughter's happy grin appeared as if it would be etched there permanently. He glanced up at me in confusion for a moment before looking back to Bella's large smile. After a moment a large grin spread across his face too. He was obviously happy that she was smiling again for once, even if it was due to my unexpected presence.

Charlie stepped towards me and took my hand in greeting, "It is good to see you Dr. Cullen. Are you just visiting, or…?" His question trailed off. I knew he was worried I would just disappear out of Bella's life again. He was probably also worried that I brought Edward with me.

I smiled, "Please, call me Carlisle. It is good to see you again as well Chief Swan. I am actually here getting things organized so I can move back to the area. How about I explain more over dinner?" I gestured towards the kitchen.

Charlie nodded, "Of course, Carlisle. Oh, and you can call me Charlie."

"Thank you, Charlie." I replied.

We moved into the kitchen and Bella fixed our plates. As she set a plate of lasagna in front of me, she smirked knowingly and I was strangely tempted to stick my tongue out at her. Of course, I restrained that urge and just settled for a small smile that probably resembled a grimace.

As I discreetly hid as many bites of my dinner as I could in my napkin and struggled to swallow those bits I could not, I explained my cover story to Charlie. Of course, I threw in as much truth as I could since I wanted to stay in his good books.

"You see, Charlie," I explained. "After I learned how Edward handled things with Bella, I was infuriated. It shocked me how little I actually knew the boy I adopted. Alice and Jasper were so angry with his actions that they actually moved out on their own and they have not contacted us since. After we reached our new home, Edward and I fought constantly about it and eventually he moved in with his new girlfriend. With all of our children leaving, it put a strain on my and Esme's marriage. After we finalized our divorce, I made the decision to move back to Forks. I love the area, and I missed Bella, so it was really the only choice for me. I am hoping that one day Alice and Jasper will return to stay with me, and Rosalie and Emmett might visit occasionally in the future, but Edward does not even know I am here. Hopefully, it will stay that way. I swear to you Charlie, I will not allow him to cause Bella any more pain. I regret even leaving in the first place. We all love Bella. She will always be considered part of our family, even with it as broken as it is now."

By the time I finished my story, Charlie was looking at me in appreciation and Bella had tears in her eyes. I looked to Bella in concern, "Oh Bella, please don't cry." I reached over and squeezed her hand gently. "I am so sorry."

Bella shook her head, "It is not your fault. I just miss them all so much, especially Alice and Jasper."

I smiled sadly, "I know, sweetie. I…"

My sentence was interrupted by my phone beeping. I looked down and noticed it was a text from Alice. A huge smile lit my face. I almost felt like I would start bouncing in my seat like Alice always did when she was excited.

I flipped the phone open to see the message. _Tell Bella I miss her too and that I will speak to her soon. Wish I could talk more, but we will be in touch. Oh and btw, I am SO happy for you two!! Love, Alice_

I laughed and handed the phone to Bella. When she read the message, Bella laughed too. "Oh, Alice," she chuckled tearfully. "Little know-it-all, God, I love her."

My phone in Bella's hand beeped again. She glanced at it, "It's Alice again."

I nodded to her, "Go ahead, read it."

She pressed the button and after a few seconds laughed heartily. She passed it to me so I could read it too. _Love you too! But don't call me a 'know-it-all.' :p Love, Alice_

I could honestly say I had not laughed so hard in months. When I put the phone away, I noticed Charlie's questioning look. We had completely forgotten he was there in the excitement of hearing from Alice. I chuckled and tried to explain without giving too much away, "Oh, for some reason Alice has always had this weird kind of sixth sense. It is almost like she knows when someone is talking about her. That is how she earned the nickname know-it-all. She knew after her first text Bella would likely bring it up, so she texted Bella to tell her not to call her a 'know-it-all.' Of course, the irony that Bella had said just that was hilarious."

Normally I would not have been so open with a human that did not already know our secret, but for some reason I felt kinship with Charlie. I just felt like I could trust him, and could not seem to keep myself from being a little more honest than I normally would have been.

Bella gave me an incredulous look and I shrugged my shoulders discreetly, confused with my own actions. I expected Charlie to dismiss this idea and think I was ridiculous, but he just nodded in contemplation and chuckled. To say I was shocked was an understatement. It was obvious that Bella felt the same way.

The next words out of Charlie's mouth almost made me fall out of my chair, "Carlisle, if you need a place to stay while you get your affairs in order to move back, you are welcome to stay with us. All I can offer you is the couch, but it is better than driving back and forth from a hotel in Port Angeles." Charlie seemed shocked by his own words, but he gave me a genuine smile none-the-less.

"Why, Charlie, that is very kind of you. I would not want to put you out though." I could have easily stayed in my empty house, but the idea of being so close to Bella for a few days and avoiding a place full of such painful memories was too tempting to pass up.

Charlie shook his head slightly, "It is no trouble, no trouble at all. Bella has not been this happy in months, so it is the least I can do. Besides, it will be nice to finally get to know you more."

"Thank you, Charlie. I really appreciate it." I replied.

Bella jumped up from her seat and gave Charlie a big hug, "Oh, thank you Dad!" Charlie blushed under her show of affection. She pulled back, "I will get the blankets and things to make up the couch." She smirked at me on the way out of the kitchen.

I stood and started clearing the table for Bella. Charlie tried to stop me, "No, Carlisle, you are our guest. Let me get that," he protested.

"Charlie, please, let me. It is the least I can do after you two feeding me and allowing me to stay." Before he could protest further, I took the dishes to the sink and began washing them.

Charlie chuckled and shook his head, "As you wish."

After I had cleaned up, the three of us sat quietly in the sitting room together just watching a baseball game on television. I could tell Charlie was ecstatic that Bella was down here watching it with him for once, even if it did take my presence for her to do so.

After an hour or so, Bella stood up with a yawn, "Well, I am going to get ready for bed, I have school in the morning." She gave Charlie a hug first, "Night, Dad."

"Night, Bells," Charlie replied awkwardly, "Sleep well."

Bella came over to me and pulled me in a hug as well, it felt great but I was uncomfortably aware of Charlie's wary eyes on us. "Good night, Carlisle. I am so glad you came back."

I squeezed her gently, "Me too, Bella, me too. Sleep well, sweetie." I lowered my voice in her ear so Charlie could not hear, "I have to hunt once he is asleep, but I will check on you once I return."

"Okay, thanks," she nonchalantly answered both statements as she pulled away and headed upstairs.

My eyes followed her for a few seconds before coming back to rest on Charlie. He was giving me an undecipherable look. It made me uncomfortable, so I shifted slightly and turned my eyes back to the television.

I could still feel Charlie's eyes on me as I heard Bella enter the shower upstairs. After a few seconds, Charlie finally spoke. "I do not know the intentions you have with my daughter, but I see the way you two look at each other. I can see how her whole world lights up when she looks at you, and the same goes for you. I know I should be concerned seeing as you are a newly divorced, thirty-three year old man, but something tells me there is more to this than that. Do you love her?"

I looked at him in surprise. He is just as observant as his daughter, if not more so. "I am sorry, Charlie, but yes, I do. It is not something I intended, but I have never been happier now that I have finally accepted that fact. I swear to you I will never hurt her. I would die first."

Charlie searched my eyes for any sign that I may be lying and, after a few seconds, nodded his head. "I can see that. Then as long as she accepts you, you have my blessing."

"Thank you, Charlie. It means a lot." I said honestly.

Charlie nodded. I could still tell he was contemplating deeply. After a moment, he spoke again, "What I have to say is difficult, so let me finish before you interrupt."

Charlie gave me a stern look and I nodded in agreement, curious as to what more he had to say.

With a sigh, Charlie began, "I know there is something...different about your family." It felt like my stomach had fallen to my feet. Did he know what we are? He continued, "I am not sure what that something is exactly, and frankly I do not care. I do know that the majority of your family members are good, and Bella is happy with you. Like me, Bella has always been different from most people – more mature, constant, and not caring about the fickle mundane things of human nature. She has never really fit in with anyone before, almost like she does not belong in this world." Charlie looked at me seriously, "That is until she met your family, it was like she had finally found her place. She finally had a place where she belonged and could be herself – no longer having to try to fit into a society that does not interest her."

His words hit me to the core. He saw so much more than anyone was aware of. It had always surprised me that Bella fit in so well with us, but I did not know how well. With this observation into her interactions with humans, I had no doubt in my mind that Bella had been born to be a vampire. It was obvious her father realized it too, even if he did not know exactly what we are.

Charlie continued, "When your family left, she caved into herself. It was like a part of her had died. I think even she realized Edward was not the one for her, but the separation from your family was too much. Even I could see that it was as if her very destiny had been striped away from her, leaving her without purpose or hope."

Charlie paused and shook his head, "I know all this would sound crazy to most people, and it is hard for even me to wrap my head around, but I think you understand what I am saying."

I nodded slowly, "I do."

Charlie sighed, "I thought so. Carlisle, I have a feeling that there will come a time that in order to be with you and your family, Bella will have to…become more like you."

Charlie paused, but when I did not answer one way or the other, he sighed in resignation. "As…as long as that is what she wants, I…I am okay with that. I only want her to be happy. All I ask is that you do not take her away from me. Don't just disappear and leave me thinking she is dead. I could not take that. As long as I can speak to her and possibly see her occasionally, I will leave that decision up to her. I will not question any changes she has to make. I just do not want to lose my baby girl."

I had to admire Charlie. His love for Bella reached boundaries most parents would never see, and his open-mindedness astounded me. "Charlie," I began, "I can not explain everything to you for your own safety, but I swear to you that she will not just disappear on you. It is possible that one day you might have to make the rest of the world think she is gone, including Renee, but you will be allowed to know that she is safe. If she chooses this life, there will be a period of time in which she will not be able to see you. That time varies from person to person, it could be a few months, it could be a few years, we won't know until then, but we will be certain to stay in touch during that time. Once she can see you again, we will likely have to fly you to us since long standing obligations would not allow us to re-enter Forks after she joins us."

Charlie looked confused, "What? Why?"

Carlisle sighed, "That is something I am not allowed to discuss. All I will say is that without a certain permission to make Bella one of us, it would be unsafe for us to return after she changes."

Charlie was turning red with anger, "Whose permission? Whose business is it besides Bella's and mine? If she wants this and I give my permission, who has the right to tell me I can not see my daughter at her own house?"

Carlisle tried to calm Charlie down, he did not want him to start shouting and bring Bella down, "Charlie, please, calm down. I am not happy about the situation either, but…"

I was interrupted as my phone rang, it was Alice. I gave Charlie and apologetic look before I answered it. "Alice? What's wrong?"

Alice giggled on the other end, "Does something have to be wrong for me to call my favorite dad?"

I could not help but to smile, "Of course not Alice, it was just unexpected. Could I call you back, I was speaking with…"

Alice cut in, "That is actually why I called. Tell him to invite Billy Black over."

I spluttered, "What? Do you really think that is a good idea?"

"Dad, trust me. You will have to tell Charlie what we are or Billy will never agree, but once Charlie digs his claws into Billy about this, he will give his permission. I have seen it." Alice muttered excitedly.

Carlisle could not believe what Alice was suggesting, "But Alice, if the Volturi…"

"Don't worry, Dad. It will all work out. Never bet against me, remember. Speak to you again soon. Love you." With that, Alice hung up.

Carlisle sighed. "Well, Charlie, it looks like you get to hear the whole story anyway. If you want to help me get permission to change Bella, you will have to know what we are. Just having this knowledge can potentially put you at risk. Are you sure you want to know?"


	7. Chapter 7: Vampires!

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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Chapter 7: Vampires, Werewolves, and Shape Shifters! Oh my!**

Charlie contemplated for a moment, his jaw tight, and his brow furrowed. For a moment I thought for sure that he was going to say no, but eventually, he nodded and sighed in resignation. "I guess if I want to see my daughter without always traveling across country, I have no choice. I find it ridiculous that you would be run away from your home just because someone chooses to become part of your family anyway. I would be glad to do all I can to help."

Charlie rubbed his eyes and yawned. I could tell it was way past his normal bed time. "Unfortunately, Charlie, you look like you are about to pass out. You should have a clear head when we discuss all of this. How about you get some sleep and then I can explain when you get home from work tomorrow?"

Charlie shook his head, "I do not think I could wait all day. You can tell me in the morning. I will just call in. Do you think Bella should sit in for this?"

"Maybe for the meeting with the elder, but it is not necessary for her to be here when I explain to you. She already knows the whole story." I replied.

Charlie nodded, "Okay, then. I will speak to you in the morning. Have a good night." He stood to make his way upstairs.

"Thank you, Charlie. Sleep well." I pretended to stretch out on the couch myself as he turned out the light and headed upstairs.

The moment I heard Charlie's breathing even out and his snores began, I silently made my way out to the woods for my hunt. I could not wait to be back by Bella's side again. I was extremely nervous about how Charlie would react to the news I was going to give him, but he already seemed to know so much and Alice said he would stand up for us. I let that thought give me comfort as I allowed my instincts take over and took down my first deer.

* * *

The next morning I made my way downstairs as soon as soon as I heard Charlie starting to wake up. I wanted to do something nice for my likely soon to be father-in-law, so I slipped into the kitchen and started the coffee pot. I rummaged in the fridge and found the items I would need to make strawberry crepes and bacon. Esme had usually been the one to cook for Bella at the house previously, but I used to watch her a lot and figured I could manage this morning at least.

Shortly after Charlie stepped out of the shower he made his way down stairs, "Wow, Carlisle. What's all this?" he asked in amazement.

I offered him a smile, "Well, I just wanted to do something nice for the two of you this morning, so I am making strawberry crepes and bacon. There is also coffee ready in the pot."

"Well, Bella likely won't be up for several more hours." I chuckled as I heard Bella waking up, the smell of the food was probably enough to raise her.

"Actually, I think she will be with us in just a few minutes. She is waking up now," I said.

Charlie looked at me in confusion, "How do you know?"

"Exceptional hearing is just one of our many attributes. I can hear the changes in her breathing patterns and heart rate that signal that she is waking." I laughed at the shocked expression on his face. "I know. It is certainly hard to absorb. We will discuss this more after Bella has left for school and you have had a chance to wake up."

A comfortable silence fell between us as I continued to cook. A few minutes later Bella stumbled into the kitchen. As her eyes laid on me standing at the stove flipping crepes, her mouth flew open. I heard Charlie chuckle under his breathe behind his coffee cup.

When I gave her a huge grin, she blushed and smiled at me sheepishly. "Good morning, love," I closed the few steps between us and pressed a chaste kiss against her forehead before moving back to the stove. "Get yourself seated and I will fix you a plate. Would you like coffee or something else?"

A look of surprise crossed her face and she passed a horrified glance towards Charlie. He just laughed, "Bells you look like I am going to murder someone. Don't worry, we have already discussed this and you two have my blessing."

Bella smiled widely, "Thanks, Dad!" She made her way to sit at the table across from her Charlie, "You're cooking breakfast, Carlisle?"

I placed a plate in front of each of them and their faces lit up like two children in a candy store. "Obviously," I teased. "Now, what do you want to drink?"

"Milk, please," Bella replied as she cut into her crepe.

I poured her a glass of milk and then sat next to her at the table. "So tell me, how is my first attempt at cooking?"

Charlie's head shot up in shock, "First attempt? But…Oh, never mind." Charlie shook his head as if to clear it. "It's heavenly, Carlisle." He eyed the table in front of me, "Aren't you going to eat?"

Bella looked at me nervously, but I just gave her a wink before smiling at Charlie, "Nope."

Charlie looked at the two of us curiously for a moment before just shaking his head again. "Okay then."

Bella laughed nervously, "Just more for us, huh Dad?"

Charlie chuckled weakly, "Yeah."

We kept the topics of conversation to lighter things as they finished their meal. After Charlie finished, he stood, "Well, I better call the station if I am going to stay home."

Bella looked up surprised, "What? Why are you staying home?"

Charlie looked at me, unsure how he should answer. I answered for him, "Bella, he has noticed certain…differences…about my family and while he has given his permission that you…join us…if you choose to one day, his requirement is that he still get to see you once you are able, because of this it is imperative that I explain our story."

Bella's eyes widened for a moment, but then her face spread into a huge grin, "Really? You mean I will actually get to see my dad after my change." She jumped up and hugged me, "Oh, thank you Carlisle. Thank you." She had tears in her eyes.

It warmed my non-beating heart to make her so happy, "Yes, Bella, after the new born phase, you will be able to see your dad." I chuckled.

Bella pulled back and looked at me in confusion, "New born phase?"

My jaw tightened in anger, "Do you mean to tell me that Edward did not mention that?"

Bella huffed, "Yeah, right. He avoided any talk about me becoming like him. He was furious with Alice when he found out that she explained to me how the change takes place. So, no, I only know the basics, nothing more."

I sighed, "Well then, maybe you should stay for this too. It is imperative that you know what you are getting into before you make such an important decision. Is that okay with you, Charlie?"

Charlie made his way to the phone, "Yes, I will call the school as well."

Bella and I cleaned up the kitchen while Charlie made the necessary phone calls so they could stay home. Once our duties were taken care of we settled in the living room. As Charlie sat in his recliner and I sat on the couch, I was surprised that Bella had the courage to cuddle up next to me in front of her father. Charlie did not seem to mind though, so I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and began my tale.

"Okay, Charlie, I will start at the beginning. I know this is going to be hard to absorb. I just want you to remember that despite what I am, I will never mean anyone in this family any harm. I love Bella, and am already coming to think of you as family too."

Charlie nodded, "I know that Carlisle. No matter what you are, I know you are a good man."

I smiled fondly, "Thank you, Charlie. That means a lot." I paused, unsure exactly where to begin.

"Well, Charlie, to be frank about it, I am a…vampire." I wasn't entirely sure the reaction I expected Charlie to have, but he was a lot calmer than I expected. His eyes widened a little bit, but after few seconds, he just nodded. I continued, "My family and I, we are not like others of our kind. Unlike most, we choose to drink the blood of animals, and that is what gives us the golden eyes, instead of the normal red eyes our kind usually have. Most vampires think us crazy for shying away from our natural food source and drinking the decidedly bland alternative of animal blood, but my family and I consider human life to be precious and choose not to be monsters."

"This choice has given us other things that the others don't have as well. It allows us to maintain permanent residences since we are able to live among humans with a little effort. It also gives us a familial bond. Most vampires travel alone or only with their mate. It is rare that vampires travel in groups of three or more. Those of us who chose not to take human life tend to retain more of our human nature, so we build our covens out of love instead of convenience. With the exception of the royal coven in Italy, we were the largest known coven in the world. Our sister coven in Denali is the only other animal drinking coven we know of and it is the second largest."

"Before I explain my story, I will explain the differences to you in what the media has taught you of vampires and what actually is true. If you have any questions after that, I will answer them. Okay?"

Charlie seemed dazed, but he nodded in the affirmative. Bella spoke before I could, "Oh, Carlisle, can I? Please?" She was almost bouncing in her seat in excitement.

I laughed heartily at Bella's enthusiasm, "Of course, Bella."

Bella faced Charlie and held up her hand as if to tick off a list, "First of all, the biggest myth is that a vampire burns in the sun. The sun does not hurt a vampire, but they will not go out in direct sunlight in front of humans because it would reveal what they are. Their skin sparkles like millions of diamonds in the sun. It is actually quite beautiful." Bella looked up to me with a smile.

Bella continued, "They also do not sleep in coffins. In reality, they do not sleep…at all." Bella smirked at Charlie's expression. "Stakes through the heart, garlic, silver, crosses, holy water – none of these things hurt them. The only way a vampire can be killed is to be ripped into pieces and burned. So basically only another vampire can kill them."

I interrupted here, "Actually, that is not entirely true. There are other creatures out there than can kill us too. They just have to be strong enough to pierce our marble-like skin and be fast enough to catch us. Two of such creatures are werewolves and shape shifters."

Bella looked at me with wide eyes, "Werewolves are real?"

I laughed, "Silly Bella, why is that so hard for you to believe? You are in the arms of a vampire."

Bella looked sheepish, "Well, I just never thought about it before." She pouted, "Next you will be telling me that the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny are real."

I chuckled, "Well, I do not know. You can never tell really."

Bella rolled her eyes, "Anyway…" she drawled. "They can not turn into bats, fly, or enthrall you, though they have been known to dazzle on occasion."

"Dazzle?" I asked, confused.

Bella smirked, "Yes, Edward used to do it inadvertently all the time. We will just have to see if you can."

"Oh, really?" I asked. "How did he dazzle you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Bella teased.

Charlie chuckled in amusement when I groaned. "Great," I complained, "Now I have to try and top Edward, and I don't even know what he did."

Bella laughed before continuing, "Vampires are also extremely fast, extremely strong, their senses of sight, hearing, and smell are extremely advanced, they do not have to breathe, they don't have a heart beat, human food tastes and smells like dirt to them, and they do not age. Did I cover everything?" she looked up at me in question.

I could not help but to feel proud of Bella, she had only known of our existence for a year, yet she knew so much about us. I gazed deeply into her beautiful eyes, it was like I could see into her soul. I smiled at her lovingly. Suddenly, Bella's eyes glazed over and it looked like her mind went totally blank. She could not seem to break eye contact. I smirked in satisfaction, I had dazzled her. I purposefully blinked and she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"No, fair," Bella pouted, "I was hoping you would not figure that one out."

I smiled in triumph. At Charlie's questioning look, I boasted, "I dazzled her." Charlie burst out laughing which, of course, made Bella huff in frustration.

I kissed her on the forehead, "Sorry, love. To answer your question though, I think you covered everything beautifully. Do you have any questions about vampires before I begin my story Charlie?"

Charlie shook his head, "Not at the moment. It is hard to wrap my head around, so I might have questions later, but for now I think I understand everything."


	8. Chapter 8: Carlisle's Story

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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Chapter 8: Carlisle's Story**

I relaxed slightly. Charlie was taking this information so well. I was still slightly worried about how he would take the news that I am nearly four hundred years old, but I had no real reason to believe he would react badly about that fact.

"Okay, Charlie," I began, "now that you know the basics when it comes to vampires, I will tell you my story."

"I was born in London. Time wasn't marked as accurately back then for the common people, but I believe it was sometime in the sixteen-forties."

Charlie gasped, "You mean? You are…" he paused trying to do the math in his head.

I decided to make it easy for him, "I recently celebrated my three hundred and sixty-third birthday."

Charlie's eyes widened in shock, "What age where you when you…?" he trailed off, not quite wanting to put it into words.

"Twenty-three," I replied, "We have always told everyone that I am older than that in order to fit the part of a father easier. It is hard enough for everyone to believe someone who looks as young as I do could be the adopted father of five children, but it would be even harder to imagine if they knew I was physically only twenty-three."

Charlie looked at Bella before commenting, "Well, it is easier to deal with the idea of you two being together if I can imagine that you are only twenty-three. I am sure than when compared to an eternity a three hundred and forty-five year age difference would not mean much anyway." He shook his head as if to clear it of the idea.

I chuckled, "Right you are Charlie, time really does not mean much at all to our kind. Anyway, as I was saying, I was born in London. I was the only son of an Anglican pastor and my mother died in child birth. My father was an intolerant man and very enthusiastic in his persecution of other religions. He also led hunts for witches, werewolves, and vampires. They burned a lot of innocent people, willing to see evil everywhere."

"When my father grew old, he placed me in charge of the raids. At first he was disappointed because I was not so quick to accuse. I was persistent though, and actually discovered a coven of true vampires living in the sewers of the city. We gathered our pitchforks and torches," I shook my head with a dark chuckle at the silliness of the generation, "and waited where I had seen the monsters exit into the street."

"Eventually one emerged. He must have been ancient and weak with hunger. I heard him call out in Latin to the others. He ran through the streets with me in pursuit. He could have easily out run me, but he was too hungry, so he turned and attacked. He bit me first, but the mob was close behind so he turned to defend himself. He killed two men and made off with a third, leaving me bleeding in the street."

"I knew what my father would do if he discovered what happened to me, so to save my own life, I crawled away from the alley and hid in a cellar. I kept silent through the change to stay undiscovered."

"For three days I burned, and then it was over, and I realized what I had become. I instantly despised myself. I had become the very thing my father and I had worked to destroy. I tried to end my existence, but as we said before that is not easily done."

"Over time I grew weak from thirst, but I stayed as far away from humans as possible, unwilling to take their lives. One night, a herd of deer passed my hiding place. I was so wild with thirst that I attacked without a thought. When my strength returned I realized there was an alternative to being the vile monster I hated. Had I not eaten venison in my humanity?"

"Now that I had found I could exist without being a demon, I began to make better use of my time. I swam to France, and continued on through Europe, to the universities there. By night I studied music, science, and medicine. It was in medicine that I discovered my calling, my penance, in saving human lives. It took me two centuries to perfect my self control, but now I am all but immune to the scent of human blood."

"Eventually I made my way to America, hoping to find other vampires like myself. I did not find anyone for a long time, but as monsters became the stuff of fairy tales, I could interact with unsuspecting humans as if I were one of them. I began practicing medicine, but as I could not risk familiarity, companionship evaded me."

"I was working in Chicago in 1918 when the Spanish influenza epidemic hit. I had been debating with myself for several years about the idea of creating another like myself since I had yet to find a companion. I was hesitant to steal another's life though. It was then that I found Edward. Oh her death bed, his mother begged me to do everything within my power to save Edward, to do what no other doctor could. I was sure at that moment that she knew what I was. When Edward turned for the worst, I made the decision to try."

"I found Esme a few years later. She had…fallen…off a cliff. The humans thought she was dead and placed her in the morgue. I was able to detect a faint heartbeat though and turned her."

"Several years after that I stumbled across Rosalie when I was walking home one night. She had been brutally attacked by several men and left dying in the streets. I brought her home and changed her."

"Rosalie was the one who found Emmett. He was camping in the woods and was attacked by a bear. She saved him and carried him the seventy-five miles to me because she was afraid she would not have the strength to turn him. Rosalie had loved him instantly, so I turned him at her request."

"Alice and Jasper found us later and wanted to join our way of life. They quickly became members of our family."

"So now you know my story. Do you have any questions?" I asked Charlie.

Charlie paused, slightly dazed, for a moment before he seemed to remember something, "You said something about needing permission to change Bella and something about a newborn phase?"

I nodded, "Ah, yes. Well, I can only give you the basics when it comes to the treaty, otherwise I would be breaking said treaty, but I will tell you what I can. First, I will explain the change and what it means. It is possible once you hear that, Bella, you might not want to go through the change at all and then the treaty discussion would be a mute point anyway."

Bella shook her head stubbornly, "I don't think anything you could say would change my mind about that."

I smiled, "We will see." I just chuckled when Bella glared at me.

"Let's see, where to begin?" I steepled my fingers under my chin in contemplation, "Oh yes, you see vampires are venomous creatures. It is our venom that causes the change. It is a very painful process. For three days you feel like you are on fire while the venom does its work."

I noticed that Bella shuddered and looked at the scar on her wrist, subconsciously running her finger across it. I knew she was remembering the pain the venom causes from when James bit her last summer. I once again placed my arm around her shoulder in comfort, "Are you okay, Bella?" I asked gently.

Bella nodded stiffly, "Yes, I already knew it was going to hurt. That does not change my decision, but I can not help to be a little frightened of the pain."

I smiled at how brave my princess is and gently pressed my lips to her hair before continuing, "That is understandable. Okay, then. After three days, the change is complete. When you first awaken, your body is still filled with your human blood, so you will be stronger than Emmett, faster than Edward, and will have red eyes. The extra strength and speed will fade after a year and after several months of hunting animals your eye color will change to the golden color I have."

"The first year, sometimes two after the change is rather difficult. During this newborn phase, you will be extremely volatile. Your emotions will be enhanced and difficult to control. You will be wild with thirst, pretty much focused on that alone. During this time you would be unable to be around humans, because your control will be weaker during this time."

"Over time your control will improve and you can be slowly exposed to humans again, but it varies from vampire to vampire how soon that will be. Some are able to be around humans again after a year, some take three to five years. It might be easier for you since you were already exposed to this life before hand and have already made the diet choice, but there are no guarantees."

Charlie frowned, "You mean to tell me it might be years before I will get to see Bella again after her change?"

I sighed, "It's possible. I suspect that it will be much sooner than that for her, but it would destroy her if she accidently hurt you, so I would not want to rush it. We would certainly maintain contact during that time though. We will not just disappear and I promise that you will see her again as soon as it is possible."

Charlie nodded. He did not look happy, more like resigned, but seemed to be relieved by the fact that at least she would not just disappear from his life completely. I looked at Bella to see her reaction, but her face was blank. This unnerved me more than I could have thought possible, "Bella," I coaxed, "What are you thinking?"

Bella looked at my worried face and sighed, "So I will be thirst crazed and erratic during my first year?"

I gave her a sad smile, "I am sorry, Bella, that is the way it is for every vampire. It will not last forever, and I will help you through it as much as possible. Of course, that is if you still choose that life. I will not fault you if you decide to remain human."

Bella shook her head violently, "No! I have made my choice. Like you said, it will not last forever and I will have you to help me." She placed her hand on my cheek, "I love you, Carlisle. That is a small price to pay for the chance to be with you for eternity. You know as well as I do that I would not be happy any other way."

I was sure my heart was going to continue swelling until it burst forth from my chest. I smile triumphantly, "I love you, too, Bella. For all eternity," I kissed her deeply, pouring all of my love into the act. I had completely forgotten that Charlie was there, and it seemed as if Bella had too. That was, of course, until he cleared his throat loudly. We abruptly pulled apart and smiled at him sheepishly.

"Sorry, Charlie," I mumbled. If I could have blushed, I would have been. Bella certainly was. She was blushing bright enough for the both of us.

Charlie chuckled, "Don't worry about it. I am just happy that Bella is happy." He grimaced, "Just try not to be so affectionate in front of me, please."

It seemed like Bella reddened even more. I wished I could disappear into the couch cushions myself. I nodded, "Of course, Charlie. Sorry."

Charlie shook his head in amusement at our discomfort, "Now how about this treaty you mentioned?"

I sighed, "I will tell you what I can Charlie, you will have to ask Billy Black the rest."

Charlie gasped, "Billy?"


	9. Chapter 9: The Treaty

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. I expected to have this chapter up two days ago, but it is much harder than I thought to write about this meeting with Billy. Even then it looks like it will be split into two or more chapters. Hopefully, I will get the actual meeting completed soon and have it to you by the weekend. No promises though. I will be working on it before I start on Chapter 9 of my other story though, so you should not have to wait too long. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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Chapter 9: The Treaty**

Charlie scowled, "You mean to tell me that Billy has known about this all along?"

I sighed, "Yes, Charlie, but he was not allowed to tell you, just as I am not allowed to tell you his side of things. I can tell you some of the basics of the treaty, but I can not tell you everything without starting a war. It will be up to Billy to tell you his side of things if he wishes to."

Charlie actually growled under his breath, "So this is why he pressed me so hard about keeping away from your family. He wanted me to fear you but would not tell me why. He expected me to follow some blind prejudice without giving me a reason."

"Dad," Bella said, "Billy meant well. He wanted to tell you, and actually would have if I had not reminded him of his promise."

"Besides, Charlie," I assured, "It was not exactly blind prejudice. We actually are vampires."

Charlie huffed, "You may be vampires, but there is no reason you hate you. He knows nothing about you." He smiled at me fondly, "You are a good man Carlisle and I will be proud to one day call you…" he smirked, "…son."

My throat was tight when I replied, "Thank you, Charlie. You have no idea how much that means to me." It surprised me how happy the idea of calling Charlie 'Dad' made me, but the reality of having to watch him age and die like my own father nearly choked me with grief. I resolved myself to ignore this for now. There were more important things to think about at the moment.

Charlie sighed, "What about this treaty, and how is Billy involved?"

"Well, the last time my family came to Forks," I began, "it was just Esme, Edward, Rosalie, and I. We were out hunting one day when we came across a…group of tribe's men from La Push. I guess you could say they were the tribe's protectors. The leader of the group was a man by the name of Ephraim Black. I believe he was Billy's grandfather."

"The vampire is the greatest enemy of these protectors and they where ready to destroy us. Fortunately, Chief Black noticed that our civilized clothes and golden eye color indicated our difference from the normal vampires they had faced in the past. This gave me the change to explain how we hunted animals and had no intention of harming any of the humans in the area."

"Ephraim Black was a very wise man, and while he did not trust us fully, he decided to offer us a truce. If we stayed off of their land, swore to never bite another human, and kept their secrets, then they would let us live and not reveal our secret either. The current tribal elders renewed this treaty out of respect of Ephraim Black when we returned to Forks. Unfortunately, this leaves no opening for changing someone even if they choose this life. If I were to change Bella without their permission it would constitute open war."

Charlie's brow furrowed, "But surely you were not afraid of them. From what you have described a group of humans could not destroy a vampire."

Bella gasped, "The whole legend is true! The protectors, they are…"

I interrupted her, "Bella! I do not know how much Jacob told you about the legend, but he did so not understanding that he was breaking the treaty. If you were to speak of it without the tribal Chief's permission, it could have serious repercussions. If Billy wants Charlie to know, that is his decision to make, not ours."

Bella frowned, "Sorry. I was just surprised."

I sighed, "I'm sorry, Charlie. I can tell you no more. If you wish to assist in obtaining permission for Bella's change, we will have to speak to Billy. He may fill you in on the rest, but I am not sure."

Charlie nodded, "I understand, and yes, I will help. What do you need me to do?"

"I think the best way would be to invite Billy over for dinner." I replied, "Do not let him know what it is about or that I will be here. He would not show if he knew. He will likely be angry with you, but that is a risk you have to take if you want to go through with this."

Charlie sighed, "I figured as much. Billy is my best friend, but Bella is my daughter. Family comes first. I just hope Billy will be able to see past this eventually."

I reached over and gently squeezed Charlie's shoulder, "I hope so too, Charlie. I am sorry that I am laying this on you. If there were any other way, I would surely do it."

"I know, Carlisle," Charlie told me. "I understand."

Charlie stood slowly and made his way towards the phone, "Well, let's get this over with."

Bella leaned into me nervously while Charlie made his phone call. I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer, listening intently to his conversation.

"Hey, Billy," Charlie spoke, trying to sound as normal as possible.

"Charlie?" I heard Billy reply in surprise. "What's wrong? Is Bella okay?" Obviously Charlie had not sounded as normal has he had hoped.

Charlie chuckled nervously and cleared his throat. When he spoke again, he sounded calmer, "Nothing's wrong, Billy. Bella and I just wanted to know if you might come over for dinner tonight."

There was a pause and I was starting to wonder if Billy suspected something, "Yeah, sure." Billy replied after a moment, with just a slight hint of hesitation. "I think Jake and I can make it tonight. What time do you want us?"

Charlie let out a breath that I do not believe he realized he was holding, "About six, if that is okay with you?"

Billy's voice was laced with suspicion when he replied, "Yeah. Six sounds good. We will see you then."

"See you. Bye," Charlie breathed.

"Bye," I heard Billy hang up on the other end.

Charlie slowly placed the receiver back on the wall and tried to steady his breathing. "I think he suspects something's up," he whispered. He jumped slightly when I replied, obviously forgetting that I could hear him.

"He did sound a little suspicious. Of course," I teased, "You did sound awfully tense for someone inviting their best friend over for dinner."

Charlie scowled at me but did not reply.

"Well, I am going to go drop the Mercedes off at the house and grab a few things from home. It would not be a good idea for Billy to see the car in the drive when he arrives. He would likely just turn right around." I said with a chuckle. "I will be back in about an hour."

Bella stood to hug me goodbye, but Charlie was confused, "How are you going to get back? Do you want me to follow you so you can ride back in the cruiser?"

Bella laughed, which of course just confused Charlie more, "No, Dad…vampire remember? You would just slow him down. Watch this…" she picked up one of the picture frames from the mantle by the door and threw it across the room. Charlie spluttered as one of his favorite pictures made its way to shatter against the wall.

Before Charlie could blink I was across the room and grabbed the picture just before it hit the wall. Charlie gasped in surprise. "You could have just told him I was going to run, Bella," I scolded gently. "You do not have to give the man a heart attack."

Bella blushed and looked at the floor sheepishly, "Sorry."

Charlie shook his head, "I don't know if I'll ever get used to this."

I chuckled, "It is a lot to absorb, but you have already taken all of this so well. Do not worry, you will get used to it eventually."

I set the picture back on the mantle and pulled Bella into a hug, "I will be back before you know it. Love you."

Bella reached up and placed a quick chaste kiss on my lips, "As I love you."

After assuring Charlie once again I would be back in an hour, I made way out to the car and headed home. I wanted to pick up a few books to read while Bella slept at night, but I also wanted to be sure I had my medical bag. There was no telling when I might need it staying with the danger magnet.

Later that night, Bella and I were working together in the kitchen while Charlie was in the sitting room staring blankly at the television. He claimed to be watching the game, but I could tell his mind was on the upcoming meeting. To say I was not nervous about the situation myself would have been a lie, so I tried to preoccupy my mind with thoughts of cooking and Bella.

Though we knew that food alone would not impress Billy once he realized I was going to be in attendance, we made a meal towards that specific goal. Our entrée comprised of T-bone steaks with Italian Herb roasted potatoes, Garlic Grilled Asparagus, and Caesar Salad. For dessert a rich chocolate cake drizzled with a raspberry glaze. Even though only four people were eating, we made sure to make enough to feed eight in case anyone wanted seconds.

When Billy arrived, Bella and I were putting the finishing touches on the meal. I heard Charlie greet Billy at the door, "Hey Billy, I am so glad you could make it. Jake, it is good to see you again."

I heard a young man's voice reply, "You too, Charlie. Is Bella here?"

Charlie laughed, "Of course, do you honestly think I would cook for you two?"

A gruff older man's voice chuckled, "Good thing."

I knew Billy would be entering the kitchen soon, so I tried to appear as nonchalant as possible. It was as I was dressing the salad and Bella was pulling the potatoes out of the oven that I heard the gasp from the doorway. I could tell he had frozen the moment he laid eyes on me.

His son had obviously not realized his dad's hesitation, because he sauntered past him, "It sure smells good in here Bella." He paused when he saw me, "Oh sorry, I thought Bella was the only one in here."

The young man stepped forward warily. Though he had yet to know who I was, I could tell his instincts where telling him to be cautious. "I do not think I have met you before. I'm Jacob, Jacob Black."

I busied my hands placing the salad on the table and turning to glaze the cake when I spoke. The last thing I needed was to shake his hand and confirm the legends he currently did not believe in. "It is nice to meet you Jacob. I'm Carlisle, Carlisle Cullen."

Jacob's eyes widened and he glanced back at his father still frozen in the doorway before studying me with curious eyes. After a moment, he shook his head slightly and chuckled under his breath, obviously coming to the conclusion that there was no way I could be the monster from his legends.

Bella placed her hand on mine and smiled up at me, "Would you set the table?"

"Of course, Bella," I smiled in response. I placed the food and place settings on the table while she greeted the guests. I could feel Billy's scrutinizing eyes on me with each movement I made.

Bella gave Jacob a quick hug, "Hey Jake. Long time no see."

Jacob was beaming and I could not help but to feel a little jealous. "Yeah, it's been too long. Why haven't you been down to the rez?"

Bella grimaced slightly, "Sorry, Jake. I know I haven't been a good friend. I have just had a lot going on, you know."

"Ah it's okay, no harm done," Jacob chuckled.

Bella turned to Billy, "Hey Billy, it's good to see you again."

Billy nodded stiffly and cast a sharp look my way before replying, "You too."

Charlie stepped into the room, "Sorry I didn't mention the extra company to you earlier, Billy," he began nervously, "but I knew you would not come if I did and I needed to speak with you."

Billy eyed him warily, "What do you need to discuss?"

Bella stepped forward, "Let us eat first shall we. All of this seriousness can wait until after dinner. The food is getting cold."

Jacob laughed, "Amen to that."

Jacob stepped forward and wheeled Billy to the place we had set up to accommodate his wheelchair at the table. He then settled into the chair next to his father. Bella sat in front of Billy so that when I sat next to her I would be in front of Jake instead. Charlie placed himself at the head of the table between Billy and Bella.

I had decided earlier that since everyone here except for Jacob knew what I was would not pretend to eat. Therefore, after we were all seated, Jacob eyed the table in front of me as he noticed the lack of place setting. "Are you not going to eat?" he asked suspiciously.

I raised an eyebrow at Billy, pretending that I did not realize Jacob was out of the loop, before answering, "No, I'm not. I figured you would have expected that."

Jacob's eyes widened and I noticed a slight tremor roll through his body, but as he clenched his jaw and took a deep breath he stilled. He looked at Bella, "So the legend is true then?"

Bella blushed and nodded slightly before looking at the table.

Jacob's tremors started again, this time faster. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists tightly. Billy looked at him in alarm, knowing a transformation that close to him would be fatal. The look on Billy's face was all I needed to know to understand what those tremors meant.

"Jacob Black," I spoke in a calm voice, thick with the authority of a coven leader, "I mean you and your family no harm. There is no danger here. You _must_ calm down."

Jacob slowly began to still as he regained control. He looked at his dad confused, "Dad, what was all that about? It felt…strange."

Billy glanced at Charlie and sighed, "Not here son. I will explain at home. If that happens again though, it would be a good idea to go outside or at least the open area in the living room."

Jacob nodded in understanding. The others gathered food on their plates and ate in silence for a few moments. Billy and Jacob seemed hesitant at first since they knew I had a hand in it, but soon began to enjoy the meal as well.


	10. Chapter 10: The Protectors

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

******Chapter 10: The Protectors**

* * *

Jacob looked at me curiously, likely trying to form a question. After a moment though, realization dawned on him and he gasped, "If the legend is true, then…oh my god, the treaty." He looked at me with wide eyes, "Oh man, I am so sorry. I did not realize."

As Billy realized what Jacob was implying, fear became evident on his features. I shook my head slightly to alleviate the tension. I gave them a small smile and waved my hand as if to brush it off, "No worries. There was no harm done. Besides, you do not seem to realize, the treaty was established to build peace. I never had any intention of harming anyone in your village, and I never will. The only way we would fight you is to defend our family."

Billy looked at me skeptically, "So if he had told someone besides Bella and that person had spread the rumor, you would not have declared the treaty void?"

"I would hope you would not reveal our secret in order to cause us problems, but if you did, we would likely just leave. Out of all of our homes this is our favorite and we would hate to lose it, but we would not take innocent lives over a big mouth. There is also the issue that in revealing our secret, your own is likely to be revealed. Worst of all though, should the rumor spread, the entire Forks/La Push area would be in danger."

Charlie spoke before the Blacks had a chance to accuse me of contradicting myself, "Why?"

I sighed, "There is a large coven in Italy who proclaim to be royalty of sorts. The Volturi enforce the laws of our kind, which simply put means they ensure our secrecy. If anyone, vampire or otherwise, does something through words or actions that may reveal what we are, then they will _rectify_ the situation."

"It is forbidden for humans to know our secret, if they were to discover that Bella, Charlie, and many people in La Push knew of us, they would wipe out much of this area and my family. They are a ruthless lot and not very forgiving. It is unlikely they will discover any of this unless someone does something to draw their attention to this area, but if the rumor were to spread, they would learn pretty quickly."

Billy looked very pale, "How large is this coven?"

I grimaced, "The royal family itself is only five vampires, but their guard is very large. Last I heard it was comprised of twenty to thirty vampires. Many of them are very gifted as well. My family is known to be powerful because we had three members with special abilities, but even we would have no chance standing up against even a quarter of the Volturi guard."

"Twenty to thirty," Billy choked out. "Even if every young male in the village…" he shook his head, "…the pack would never stand a chance."

"The pack?" both Charlie and Jacob asked.

Billy looked at Charlie conflicted, he glanced at me, "You did not tell him?"

I shook my head, "Of course not, Billy. He knows what I am and he knows there is a treaty between my family and your tribe's protectors, but that is as far as he knows. I would not reveal your secrets. Bella figured it out because of the legends that Jacob told her last year, but Charlie does not know."

Billy thought for a moment, "Well, he already knows about vampires. You promise to keep this to yourself, Charlie?"

Charlie nodded, "Of course, Billy. You know me."

Billy sighed, "Our protectors, as he called them, are shape shifters. So far three of the boys have phased, and there are several others that will do so soon." At this, he glanced at Jacob. "The form they take is that of a werewolf, basically a horse sized wolf. Unlike actual werewolves, they change at will once they learn to control it instead of at a full moon. I will not go through the entire legend tonight, but the next time we have a bon fire you and Bella can come listen to the full story."

Jacob looked at Billy with wide eyes, "So that part of the legend is true too. You said three have phased? So that is why…" he trailed off. "Several others will phase soon as well, do you mean that I…" the tremors wracked through his body again.

Billy spoke calmly, "Yes, Jacob. Please, calm down. If you phase here, you will hurt everyone around you."

Jacob's tremors slowed once more, "So that is what that feeling and those shakes mean? I am going to turn into a giant wolf."

Billy sighed, "Yes, soon. It was going to happen soon anyway, but being this close to a vampire seems to be speeding up the process." He shot a glare at me.

I was confused, "You mean my presence triggers the gene?"

"Yes," Billy snapped. "If your family had not moved back, none of the boys would be phasing."

I grimaced, "I did not know. If I had…" I hung my head, "I'm sorry."

Jacob looked at the pained look on my face, "You truly did not know?"

I shook my head remorsefully, "No."

Jacob sighed, "Well, I guess I can't really fault you for that then."

Billy looked at his son incredulously, but I gave him a small smile in thanks.

They continued to eat in silence. Charlie and Billy got seconds, and Jacob managed to get thirds. There was not a scrap of food left by the time they were finished. Jacob leaned back with a groan and rubbed his stomach appreciatively, "Bella you have outdone yourself. I think that was the best meal I have ever eaten."

Bella laughed, "Well, you certainly put it away. I do not think I have ever seen anyone eat that much before."

"It was because it was so good. I am going to have to kidnap you and hide you away on the rez so you can cook for us all the time." Jacob laughed.

I knew he was joking but my territorial instincts kicked in and I could not help but to slip an arm around her shoulder and place a kiss on her head to show my claim. Jacob and Billy stiffened, but Bella looked up at me with a huge smile and love in her eyes. "Well, you would have to steal Carlisle too since he helped," she chuckled.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, I helped so much. You told me what to do and I did it."

"Well what was your excuse this morning?" Charlie put in. "Those crepes you made us were amazing."

I smirked, "My excuse this morning? I was trying to get in on your good side. What better way to do that than with food."

Charlie laughed, "True. Of course, following up such a wonderful meal by telling me you are a three hundred and sixty-three year old vampire in love with my daughter is an odd way of getting on my good side."

I jokingly pretended to pout, "Aw, Dad."

Bella blushed, embarrassed, but she could not help but to laugh at the expression on my face.

Charlie raised an eyebrow, but then smirked. He raised a finger as if to scold me, "Now son, you know that won't work on me."

That was it. We could not hold it in anymore. Charlie, Bella and I burst out laughing. Jacob and Billy were looking at us incredulously. The expressions on their faces just made us laugh even harder.

It took me a moment to get my laughter under control. I ran a hand gently through Bella's hair, "Let me get the dishes, love. You two can visit with your guests a little longer before we talk." I could feel Billy's eyes on us as we interacted.

Bella reached up and pecked me on the cheek, "You don't have to do that. I can help."

"It's no trouble. Vampire speed, remember." I chuckled.

Bella rolled her eyes, "Sure. Okay."

The others made their way into the living room as I cleaned up the kitchen. I could hear Billy asking about the situation with Edward and why I was here, and was pleased with the way Bella and Charlie were handling it. They told him the truth without giving away too much information. It seemed to placate him, but I could tell he was not happy that I stepped into Edward's place in Bella's life.

I was just finishing up when I heard Jacob ask Bella something about me, "What is he going to do if Edward finds out and decides he wants you back? You said Edward was like a son to him?"

I entered the room as he was finishing the question, "Edward had his chance and he blew it. He may be like a son to me, but he has hurt my mate. If Bella decides she wants him instead, I will not stand in her way, but I will not allow Edward to hurt her again. I will rip him apart myself if he even thinks about it." I finished with a growl to prove my point.

Jacob and Billy looked at me with wide eyes. Jacob sighed, "You really do love her don't you?"

A wide smile spread across my face, "Yes, I do."

Bella came up to me and kissed me, "And I love you. I would never choose anyone else over you, Carlisle. My heart called to you the moment I laid eyes on you. You are my love, my soul mate. The sun does not rise for me without you by my side. My heart, my life, my soul – they all belong to you, Carlisle, for they are meaningless without you."

"You are my life, Bella." I replied. "My existence is worthless unless you are with me. My whole world revolves around you now."

It was Billy who finally pulled us out of our personal bubble. I knew Billy and Jacob had to have seen the love swimming in Bella's eyes as she looked at me. That one look told me that she felt the same as I do. "It sounds like imprinting," Billy all but whispered.

I looked at him in confusion, "Imprinting?"

Billy answered, "Imprinting is what happens when a werewolf finds his soul mate. From what they have described to me it is like every thing that holds them to this world is stripped away and their whole existence is now tied to their imprint. From that moment on they will be whatever their imprint needs at the time. Whether it is best friend or mate, they will take on that role. Their imprint's happiness is the most important thing to them from the moment they set eyes on her. The bond between a wolf and his imprint is unbreakable and the wolf would only wish to die if their imprint were killed."

I moved to seat myself and Bella on the couch. I nodded thoughtfully, "That does sound very similar to the way a vampire and his mate are. The moment a vampire lays eyes on his true mate, he feels the connection. Their mate's happiness is all that matters from that day forth. The bond between them is forever. It can not be broken. If a vampire loses his mate, he too would only wish to die. It is a little stronger for Bella and me though, because she is also my singer."

"Singer," Charlie asked. "What does that mean?"

I grimaced, "Well, there is a legend among vampires of _la tua cantante_. It means 'your singer' in Italian. In my case it would be _la mia cantante_, or 'my singer'. The legend speaks of one whose blood calls to you above all others. A call that would drive any but the strongest willed vampires mad with thirst. It is said that he who overcomes the call of his singer's blood is destined to love her, that the bond between them will be like no other, stronger than the bond between any other mated vampires ever known."

I smiled down at Bella, "I have spent two centuries becoming immune to the scent of human blood so that I can work as a doctor. It has been decades since human blood has affected my thirst. However, when I met Bella…it was…difficult…, but I denied that thirst despite its pull. Overtime, I have become all but immune to it. Her scent mostly calms me now. The only time it affects my thirst is when she is actually bleeding and even then it is manageable enough I can care for her as her doctor should. I do not know how much weight the legend holds, but I do know that even though I felt that normal mate connection with her the moment I saw her, the love I feel for her is much greater now that I have overcome the pull of her blood. Her very essence pulls me in, ties me to her like steel cables. When I am away from her everything is black and full of despair, but when I am beside her I feel as if everything is full of light and joy and that nothing in the world can ever come against us."

Bella reached up and placed her hand on my cheek, "I could not have described the feeling better myself." I smiled widely. I was sure my dead heart was trying to beat again, my chest felt tight anyway.

Billy asked the question that brought us all together today, "But she is human, and all things human pass away eventually. What are you going to do then, if you can not bear to be away from her?"

Before I could even open my mouth, Bella retorted with a little more venom than I would have expected, "I will not be human forever."

Billy gasped and Jacob stood up and began pacing the open area of the living room in an attempt to fight the tremors that threatened to burst forth his wolf. Billy's voice was full of accusation when he spoke, "You would break the treaty?"

I sighed, "That is not my intention. If Bella wanted to remain human, I would never consider it, but Bella's happiness is my first priority. She knows all the risks, all the difficulties that come with this choice, and she still wants this. When she is ready, we would go to an area where her change would not endanger any human life, but Bella wants to be able to visit her father once she can be around humans again and we hoped that you would take into consideration that this is her choice and allow this to occur without violating the treaty."

I saw that Jacob was pacing faster, his trembling increasing slightly. Billy scowled, "You wanted us to come here so you could ask permission to end her life?"

Charlie stood angrily, "No!" he retorted. "Not to end it, to change it." He scowled, "This decision should be between me, Bella, and Carlisle."

Charlie sighed and continued in a more controlled voice, "Billy, I know my daughter, and I know that the only way for her to be truly happy is to be with Carlisle. She has never fit in among humans. If they are not of the supernatural – vampires or werewolves – she is unable to relate with them and the only way she can fit into that world safely is to become a part of it. She wants this and I want this for her. I do not think that we should have to ask your permission just so my daughter and her family can come visit me or live here in the future when this is our business, but we do so in an attempt to keep the peace. This will happen with or without your permission, but I would like to be able to see my daughter without having to travel halfway across the world every time."

Billy looked between the three of us for a moment and then sighed, "Charlie, I may not agree with your decision, but I would allow her to be changed without breaching the treaty. Unfortunately, the final decision does not really rest with me. It rests with the Alpha of the pack, which, until Jacob transforms, is Sam."

"What?" Jacob roared. "Sam would never agree," He growled deeply. He was pacing so fast he was likely a blur to the humans' eyes, "Bella's choice, Charlie's choice…_my_ choice…" he growled.

Jacob stopped pacing, though the tremors raked through his body faster than ever. His voice took on a strange double tenor as he spoke, _"I, Jacob Black, true Alpha of the Quileute pack do hereby give my consent for Carlisle Cullen to change Bella Swan upon her request. This will constitute no breach in the treaty put in place by Ephraim Black and reaffirmed by the present Quileute elders."_

The moment Jacob finished speaking his face contorted in pain and he burst forth from his clothes into a giant russet-colored wolf. The humans around me gasped in shock and quickly covered their ears when the great wolf let out an ear piercing howl of pain.

The smell that suddenly filled my senses made me want to gag and every instinct in me screamed 'fight', but I fought the urge and stood as still as possible. Jacob whined and rubbed his nose in the carpet in reaction to my smell. He growled at me for a moment, but then seemed to take hold of his senses and stopped as he remembered who I was and why we were here.


	11. Chapter 11: New Alpha

**A/N: This chapter will be in Jacob's POV. This**** is the only **_**planned**_** variation from CPOV. I just felt that this chapter would not only be easier from JPOV, but also more interesting. There are quite a few things I can include that I would not be able to otherwise. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:** Twilight and all of these characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Chapter 11: New Alpha**

* * *

As I gained control of the instincts that told me to rip the vampire in front of me apart, I focused on the scene in front of me, the reason we were here, and the agreement I had just made with Carlisle. These thoughts were the only thing that helped me to remain in control of the wolf that wanted nothing more than to fight the sickly-sweet smelling vampire standing much too close to my father and friends.

My mind reminded me that Carlisle was no threat at the moment though and that he was purposely standing as still as possible to make it easier on me. I tried to force myself to close my eyes to center my control even more, but my instincts to keep my eye on the danger would not let up just yet.

Suddenly I heard a familiar and unwelcome voice in my head. I whipped my head towards the door and growled softly in annoyance as I heard the answering howl to my earlier cry of pain. "Who has phased? What is your name?" the voice asked.

I growled again, "It's Jacob. Why are you in my head, Sam?"

I could hear Sam chuckle in my mind, "It's a wolf thing Jacob. Where are you?" There was a pause, "What!" he roared. I could hear his howl of anger sound in La Push.

"Stinking _bloodsucker_," Sam said it like it was a curse word, "Jacob, I will be there in a moment with Jared and Paul. Stay on guard."

"No!" I bellowed. The humans in the room covered their ears with my angry howl. "You will not come here. I am handling this."

"Jacob, it is not safe. We _are_ coming. _Stand down_." Sam ordered.

I felt the binds of the alpha command trying to grab me, but I resisted, "No, Sam. As heir of the Black family bloodline, _I_ am the true Alpha. _You stand down_!" I commanded.

Sam came to an automatic halt, "You're right, Jacob. You are the true Alpha. I had no intention of superseding your position. I step down."

As Sam gave over his rank, I felt the strength of the pack flow through me, my command and position steadying me.

Sam whined, "Jacob, you should not be there without backup. Please, allow us to come help you."

I growled low in my chest, "No, Sam. There is no danger here, trust me. Shift back and fill the rest of the pack in on the new order, you are my second. Do not mention my meeting with Carlisle unless I signal for your assistance. I will contact you when I want you all to shift again and meet me."

Sam sighed, "As you wish, Jacob."

"Sam, how do I change back?" I whispered, slightly self-conscience.

I heard Sam chuckle in my mind, "Just calm your mind and focus on wanting to be Jacob again. Once your temper is in control again, you should be able to shift back. You will need clothes though. Your dad should know that, but he may be unaware when you want to shift back. You want me to call Charlie?"

"Not yet, let me see if I can get them to understand first. If not, then I'll howl." I answered.

"Okay. Good luck, Jacob." Sam replied before he shifted back and his mind disappeared.

I focused back on the scene in front of me. Everyone in the room was tense. They had yet to say anything or even move an inch, too afraid that I was not in control and was going to attack. I sighed heavily. How to make them understand?

I sat down and looked Carlisle directly in the eye. I nodded slowly and he finally relaxed a little. "Are you in control?" he asked gently.

I nodded my head again. It was really annoying that I could not speak. I looked at Bella, hoping that she was not afraid of me. She was just looking at me curiously. When I looked at her, she moved as if to walk towards me.

"Wait," Carlisle began, "it is his first transformation. He has not had a chance to test his strength yet. He might hurt you by accident."

I huffed and rolled my eyes. Bella smiled, "He will not hurt me, Carlisle. Will you Jacob?"

I shook my head. Of course I would not hurt her.

Bella moved towards me again, "Can I touch you, Jacob?"

I nodded my head in the affirmative. This time it was Billy who stopped her, "Wait just a minute, Bella. Jacob you have to be very careful. Carlisle is right. You do not know your own strength yet. One wrong turn of the head or swish of the tail or movement of the jaw could hurt her, so please…just be careful."

I nodded my head much slower this time. When he put it that way, it worried me a little. I stayed as still as possible as Bella approached me, not wanting to make one error. I closed my eyes and let out a rumbling moan as she scratched behind my ear and the side of my neck. It felt amazing.

She paused and I opened my eyes to look at her, "Is this okay?" she asked.

I gently nodded my head, careful of my movements. Bella smiled and continued her scratching, "You are a beautiful wolf, Jacob." I chuckled, it sounded weird in this form, but I think they understood what it meant.

After a moment, Bella made her way back to the couch. I decided then was the best time to try to let them know I needed clothes. I nosed the shredded cloth at my feet and whined.

My dad laughed, "Yeah, looks like you need some clothes before you can even think about changing back."

I rolled my eyes at his amusement and grumbled softly. It is not funny.

Charlie chuckled, "I will see if I can find you something to wear, Jacob. I will be right back." Charlie made his way up the stairs and I settled in to wait, resting my head on my paws.

Suddenly Carlisle's cell phone rang, the noise was shrill to my ears and I whined.

Carlisle opened it quickly, "Sorry, Jacob," he apologized before bringing it to his ear. His sincerity sort of shocked me. Maybe I was right in trusting Carlisle after all.

"Alice?" He answered, his voice slightly strained. "What's wrong?"

"Oh thank God," Alice breathed. "Carlisle, what happened? One minute I saw you talking to Billy and Jacob…I saw Jacob give you his permission, though he was shaking awfully bad…and the suddenly…nothing…everything went black. I still can't see you. What is going on?"

What does she mean by see? What is going on here?

Carlisle looked intrigued, "Huh, that is interesting…interesting indeed. It appears that you can not see the wolves, Alice. The moment your vision went black was when Jacob phased for the first time." He contemplated for a second, "Hmm, I wonder if you will still be blinded when he shifts back."

"Carlisle," Alice "This is no time for your curiosity. You, Bella, Charlie, and Billy are in the room with a new werewolf and I can not see what will happen. It is very dangerous."

"Alice," Carlisle insisted, "There is no danger here. If Jacob did not hurt us when he first transformed, when his instincts were the greatest, he will not do so now. He is in is wolf form now, the biggest danger of a new werewolf is their temper when they are in human form, so there is nothing to worry about. He would never hurt his father, and do you honestly think I would allow Bella and Charlie to be near him if I did not trust him?"

He trusts me? Wow, that…well…that means a lot, coming from him.

Alice whined, "But Carlisle…I can't see…"

Carlisle chuckled, "I know Alice. You don't like it, but there is nothing to worry about. Call me the moment your sight comes back, okay? I will text you when they leave if you have not called me by then."

Alice sighed, "Okay. Be careful, Dad."

Carlisle smiled, "Of course, Alice. Talk to you soon."

Carlisle hung up the phone and gave me an apologetic glance. I just huffed and shook my head, chuckling in amusement.

My dad voiced the question I could not at the moment, "Visions? She can't see the wolves? What was that about?"

Carlisle smiled, "Ah, yes. You see, some of us have special abilities. Alice sees visions of the future. Apparently, she is unable to see the wolves, so when Jacob suddenly phased, everything went black. She panicked when we all just suddenly disappeared. She thought something bad had happened." He chuckled.

My dad raised an eyebrow, "Huh. That…well, that is…something else." He seemed to be at a loss for words. I barked out a laugh at his response.

"Shut up, Jake," he groaned. Good old, Dad – master of many words.

Charlie came down stairs carrying a pile of sweats. "I am not sure how well these will fit, Jake, but they are better than nothing. Where do you want me to sit them?"

I touched my paw to the floor in front of me twice and he placed the clothes where I indicated. I gave them all stern looks and they averted their heads to give me some privacy.

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, focusing on wanting to be Jacob again. The pain that shot through my body as I shifted was almost as bad as it was when I first phased. I really hoped this would get better over time.

My howl of pain morphed slowly into a scream as my body became more man than wolf, until eventually I lay shivering on the floor, the spasms of pain raking my body keeping me from moving just yet. As they subsided, I slowly began to slip the clothes on that Charlie had left for me. They were slightly too small on my now larger frame, but they covered the essentials.

"Okay, guys." I croaked, "I'm dressed now." I was still hunched up on the floor, shaking a little with pain, so as they turned I was met with four pairs of concerned eyes.

I could tell Carlisle was fighting the doctor in him, "Are you okay, Jacob?" He asked.

I nodded, "I think so. The transformation is just painful. I will be okay in a moment, I think."

"Well let me know if you need anything, okay?" Carlisle asked and I could not help but feel a little grateful for his concern.

"Thanks, I will." I replied.

My dad's voice was thick with emotion when he spoke, "I am proud of you Jacob. You did really well with this. Usually it is not so easy to hold off the first transformation when it is time. Then it usually takes hours for you to calm down enough to listen to anyone and usually days to calm down enough to change back. You really are a natural son."

I smiled, "Thanks, Dad. I think it probably helped knowing what was coming. Were any of the others told in advance when the signs were so obvious?"

Dad shook his head guiltily, "It has always been tradition to wait until after the transformation. It helps protect the secret in case it never happens."

I got up and retook my seat in the chair next to my dad. "But what if there is no doubt the transformation will occur soon? It would make it much easier on them if they knew."

"I guess the tribal elders that made that decision decades ago wanted to help the boys retain what little of their childhood they had left. The transformation changes so much in their lives, they did not want to take that way. That tradition has just never been changed." Dad replied.

"I think I would have much rather known. I was constantly worrying about this growing gang Sam was making and the looks he was giving me. That could have been avoided. It is also a possible safety risk for the boys to not know. What if I had transformed at the table earlier? If I had no more control than some of the others, you would have been killed." Tremors raked through my body again, but I bit down on them, clenching my fists. I would not transform this close to my dad.

I continued, "Knowing what was coming would have allowed me to move sooner if I had trouble controlling it. You see how I reacted when I thought I might lose control."

Dad nodded, "I did, and once again I can not tell you how proud I am of you, son. I also understand where you are coming from, but the choice is left up to the Alpha."

I jumped up with a growl, "Sam…" I clenched my fists and took a few deep breathes to calm my temper. I sat down again before I spoke, "Sam decided to leave us in the dark? Well, that is about to change, because I am Alpha now."

Dad's eyes widened, "You took over that quick?"

I smirked, "Yes. Sam was in the woods when I transformed. He wanted to come here when he saw I was with Carlisle, even tried to assert his authority over me, but I reminded him of my bloodline and told him to stand down. He acquiesced and then told me how to shift back before going to tell the others the new ranking order."

Dad smiled, "Well, that is wonderful, son. We will have to meet with the elders when we return so that we can inform them of all the new developments. They are going to be shocked out of their mind – a change in the treaty, a new alpha, and a new overriding alpha command – all in one night."

I laughed, "That's me. I live to shock and impress."

Everyone chuckled. "I am happy for you, Jake," Bella said.

"Yeah, congratulations, Jacob," Carlisle chimed in.

Charlie smiled, "Thank you, Jake. I am proud of you."

I blushed under their praise, "Aw, none of that." They all just laughed at my embarrassment.


	12. AN: Sorry, Temporary Hiatus

A/N: I want to apologize to my readers that I have not been updating my stories as I had hoped. I have become distracted by the Southern Vampire Mysteries (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood series) by Charlaine Harris, and have sort of lost interest in Twilight for the moment. As such, I am stuck when it comes to continuing my stories.

Knowing how my 'distractions' tend to work, I will likely return to Twilight soon after Eclipse has hit the theaters. Hopefully, I will be able to continue the stories then. I assure you all, I have not abandoned them, they are just on hiatus. In the mean time, I may end up writing some one-shots for SVM/True Blood, but there are no guarantess. I hope that you all will be patient with me until my Twilight muse restarts itself.

Hope to have something for you all soon,

LGilbert1982


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